PCSO plunder case: Ex-chairman Morato in hospital, placed under arrest by NBI

Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chairman Manuel Morato, one of the accused in a plunder case ordered arrested by the Sandiganbayan, is in a hospital and under tight watch by government agents.

 

Morato is at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City where he said he had been confined since Thursday morning, radio dzBB's Rodil Vega reported Saturday.

He was placed under arrest by the National Bureau of Investigation, which sent a team to his hospital room and "processed" him, taking his mug shot and fingerprints.  

Morato is one of the co-accused of former President Gloria Arroyo in a plunder case over the fund mess at the PCSO. Arroyo was placed under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center Thursday afternoon.

 

 

Two other co-accused - former PCSO General Manager Sergio Valencia and former PCSO Assistant General Manager for Finance Benigno Aguas - surrendered along with their lawyers Thursday night.

 

Chest pains

 

Morato said he went to the SLMC after suffering chest pains. He said his doctor told him he needs more medical tests.

 

He said he was surprised to learn Thursday afternoon that the Sandiganbayan had issued an arrest warrant against him.

 

Upon learning of this, he claimed he called the NBI and informed he was at St. Luke's Medical Center and that he had to be confined. — ELR, GMA News