Former Nueva Ecija lawmaker faces arrest

The Sandiganbayan ordered anew the arrest of former Nueva Ecija Rep. Nicanor de Guzman Jr. in connection with his alleged involvement in an attempt to bribe the chief of the defunct Task Force on Anti-Gambling (TFAG).

The anti-graft court’s third division, chaired by Associate Justice Cipriano del Rosario, issued the new arrest warrant as De Guzman has until now failed to post a P4,000 bail for the first warrant.

Court records showed that the first warrant, issued last Feb. 22, was not served on the former congressman.

De Guzman, along with alleged Central Luzon jueteng operator Bong Pineda, was charged for the alleged bribery attempt on Potenciano "Chito" Roque, former TFAG director, in 1988.

The bribe money was supposed to be in exchange for the unhampered operation of the illegal numbers game in Nueva Ecija.

De Guzman served a conviction for gunrunning at the National Penitentiary, but was released due to a lingering illness. — Jose Rodel Clapano