Ronnie Ricketts suspended from Optical Media Board

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of Ombudsman found substantial evidence to suspend top officials of the Optical Media Board (OMB) led by its chief executive officer, action star Ronald "Ronnie" Ricketts, for neglect of duty in post-raid operations.

In a joint resolution dated August 28, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the suspension of Ricketts, OMB Executive Director Cyrus Paul Valenzuela, Enforcement and Inspection Head Manuel Mangubat, investigation agent Joseph Arnaldo and computer operation official Glenn Perez.

Morales also ordered the filing of criminal charges against them for apparent violations of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

On May 27,  2010, OMB agents raided the Sky High Marketing Corp. located in Quiapo, Manila, investigation findings showed.

The team seized 127 boxes and two sacks of pirated DVDs, VCDs, and a video recorder. They also arrested three Chinese nationals.

After the raid, the seized items were brought to the OMB office in the afternoon but were pulled out from the premises in the same evening.

Records show that Ricketts instructed the pull-out of the seized items, without any approved gate pass, using the Isuzu Elf truck owned by the raided establishment Sky High.

Ricketts, who was present during the raid, "did not deny Perez’s claim that it was he who ordered the reloading," the resolution stated.

As head of agency, Ricketts "should have directed the filing of case/s against the violators, but he did not," the Ombudsman said.

"The unjustified release of the confiscated items compromised the pieces of evidence that could substantiate a case/s against those RA 9239 violators, thereby giving unwarranted benefit to Sky High Marketing Corp. and its officers," Morales added.