By Manuel L. Morato
Two days ago at about 9:45 A.M., a warrant of arrest was served to me and received in my guardhouse from the Regional Trial Court, Branch 93, Quezon City, regarding Criminal Case No. 20-07155 CR.
With due respect to whoever I ought to extend it to, this case is quite unusual in the sense that so many Libel and Cyberlibel cases have been thrown at me since the case regarding the Estate of my mother. We, five of the six children, filed a case against a sibling and his cohorts; and rightfully so.
While the 5 of us filed the case together with my three younger sisters – Elvira Morato Cuenca; Teresita Morato Lazatin and Lolita Morato Quiros and a brother Francisco (who later on decided to stay “neutral”); and myself as the eldest and Executor of the Holographic Will of my mother against our youngest brother Jose together with his partners were all implicated by our lawyers for the demolition of the ancestral home of our parents in our family compound.
I will not discuss the main issue but only its peripherals.
Let me explain: Several libel charges were filed against me for explaining in my columns what exactly is happening why we filed cases in Court for the demolition of our parents’ ancestral home in our family compound. We all live beside each other and yet for months there was something happening which we were not aware of. There was a secret and hidden agenda planned at my mother’s house. It was only on April 1, 2018, that we got the biggest surprise of our lives. It was Easter Sunday at past midnight of March 31st that our small connecting steel gates to my mother’s garden and house were welded. The cutting of the 70 years old trees in our parents’ garden was cut and the demolition of the 6 bedroom house of our parents. We wondered what was it all about. Then the house of our parents was being covered with a fishnet from the roof down. We called our lawyers for help for we were dumb-struck what to do.
That’s when we were advised to file a case in Court. It’s a violation of the Republic Act 10066; my youngest brother did not own the house of our parents; he sold it which we found out later in Court when he submitted so many falsified documents. That’s when things got more and more complicated. His group is allegedly “powerful” people.
It is painful to look back. But put yourself in our place. All the estate property inside that over the 70-year-old house was taken away most probably at midnight when vampires start being evil. Imagine the amount of things belonging to my parents were carted away maybe months before sneaking them out in the middle of the night. Furniture, paintings, French chinoiserie, a huge glass display of my mother’s miniature collected from our travels abroad, a lifetime collection that she kept of adding and adding on, including the documents of my father and mother.
Initially, we were able to get a TRO from Branch 215 for 20 days, but in that twenty days, the TRO was not honored and the demolition was rushed and when we reached the presentation of documents, the Judge was asked by them to inhibit. The case was raffled off in January of 2019 and landed in Branch 92; and from January after it was raffled off to August 14, 2019, we were given one hearing and shortly after natalo na naman kami. The case was re-raffled again and landed in Branch 219 of Judge Samar where it is now since August of 2019.
On the side, several cases of Libel were filed against me for explaining our side in my column in People’s Journal. Having been in government service for a total of 12 or 13 years in the MTRCB and PCSO, I was the one identified by the people on what happened to the ancestral home of the Morato dragged me in particular as the one who demolished the ancestral home of our parents. I was forced to come out into the open to clarify that I was NOT involved in any way in the destruction of our ancestral home of my parents which has been looked up to as a historical site as my father was the First Mayor of Quezon City from its foundation day in 1939, October 12, appointed by President Quezon.
Sa ginawa nila sa pagwasak sa bahay ng aming magulang, ako tuloy ang napapag-bintangan.
Dito na lang sa neighborhood namin, nagtataka sila kung bakit winasak ang malaki at magandang bahay ng Morato. Ang sabi nila, “kung si Chairman Manoling ang gumawa niyan, siguro naman may magandang proyektong itatayo diyan.”
I had to deny any involvement at wala nga po akong kaalam-alam, neither my other siblings. I am entitled to self-defense and to explain to the public the truth.
Modesty aside, the culprit, Jose “Pete” Morato was conveniently hiding behind my back. Unfortunately, I held two national offices, the MTRCB and PCSO, both very controversial positions that I was thrown to be known nationwide. Hindi din naman ako papayag na ako ang may kasalanan at mapagbibintangan at wala nga po akong kalam-alam, pati mga kapatid kong tatlong babae na sumunod sa akin.
Nawasak na ‘yong ancestral home namin, pati pangalan namin nadamay.
I will get to the point: My sisters and I were sued by Jose Morato in another court, a commercial court regarding our closed family corporation that ended up with our youngest brother, Jose “Pete” Morato. It was a closed corporation he organized before our mother died in 2002, in May 31. But he ended up controlling it alone. He filed the charges to try to justify his wrongdoings.
Nawala na lamang po kami sa eksena at bigla yong aming Javea Properties Corporation with my mother and the six children suddenly ended up in full control of Jose “Pete” Morato. He has a corporation, JLM Trading Corporation and somehow, the properties of my mother and us in Javea Properties Corporation ended up in JLM Trading Corporation under the full control of Jose “Pete” Morato only.
Believe me, it’s harassment what is being done to me. In one case Jose “Pepito” Morato and his lawyer filed a case with Quezon City DOJ Prosecutor Alviar. In the presence of the Judge, I called their attention because I told the Judge: Your Honor, Tomas L. Morato is the one being charged, not me. The lawyer of Jose Morato told Judge Alviar: “Typo error.” I of course answered that it’s not typo error mentioned several times for there exists Tomas L. Morato.
My father’s name is Tomas B. Morato. My name Manuel is too far to be mistaken for Tomas.
I told Judge Alviar there is a Tomas L. Morato, a nephew who passed away in 2014, at the age of 41, a well known expert Scuba diving instructor. He was the son of my brother Francisco who married a Spaniard in Madrid whose name was Ana Linares.
This nephew of mine who grew up with me lost his mother when he was four years old. I brought him up and was staying in my building when he got married. Thus, his name was the one mentioned in their charges of libel against me based on my columns in the newspaper because his father made use of his dead son’s FB account, named Tomas L. (for Linares) Morato.
It is not easy to confuse my name, Manuel L. Morato to Tomas B. Morato, my father. And I clearly explained to Judge Alviar that they are charging me with Cyberlibel; and the NBI without hearing my side approved the request of the court. The move they took was to consolidate the several libel charges into one.
If I had explained in my column some of the issues, it is because Jose Morato has been publishing erroneous and untruthful charges since April 13, 2019 in the Quezon City News Bulletin at malakas nga raw sila kala Belmonte. Lumabas sa facebook.
Was it wrong for me to also air our side? What they were coming out with were all lies. Am I supposed to keep quiet and let their lies prevail? I cannot let go of that. The truth must prevail – always!
In one of the courts, I was charged with libel, when I entered the room, the Judge spoke out and said: “Chairman Morato, I know you.” I answered: “Your Honor, this is the first time I see you.” Because of that remark, Jose Morato and Atty. Albis heard what the Judge said while I walked into his room and immediately, asked the Judge to inhibit from the case. It was raffled off again.
My lawyer and I never asked for any Judge to inhibit. That’s the reason we have been dribbled to three Courts because of the party of Jose Morato and Atty. Albis.
A couple of weeks ago, there was a fatal mistake committed by Jose Morato’s party. Mali ang dimanda nila. But was allowed to file an amended complaint by Judge Malabaguio. Before amending they should have filed a “leave of court,” an error committed by the Commercial Court, Branch 93. Briefly, according to our lawyers, the opposite camp filed by complainant Jose L. Morato was wrong and his lawyer asked the Judge then to change their motions; and was immediately allowed. Our lawyers told us na bawal daw yon, especially we had already answered and for the first time requested for the Judge to inhibit. Instead, the Judge came up with a Joint Resolution: WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is hereby recommended that respondent Manuel L. Morato be indicted of the crime of Libel under Articles 353 and 355 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Section 4(c) (4) and Section 6 of Republic Act of 2012.
“Bail Recommended: Thirty Thousand Pesos. May 21, 2020, Quezon City, Philippines. Signed: Edward Jason P. Seijo, Assistant City Prosecutor; Recommending Approval: Veronica G. Pagayatan, Senior Assistant City Prosecutor, Chief Division IV; Approved by Authority of the City Prosecutor Raymund Oliver S. Almonte, Deputy City Prosecutor.
Allow me to clarify the order sent to me by Presiding Judge, Arthur O. Malabaguio. “ORDER Upon perusal and examination of the Information in the above captioned case and accompanying documents attached thereto, the Court finds the existence of probable cause for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the above-named accused.
So ordered. Quezon City, Philippines, this 24th day of September 2020. Arthur O. Malabaguio, Presiding Judge.”
The Joint Resolution of Assistant City Prosecutor Edward Jason P. Seijo was dated in May 21, 2020. We were never sent a copy. Was it rushed because our lawyers requested for the Judge to inhibit? Natanggap na niya over 10 days na.
I just received Judge Arthur O. Malabaguio two days ago, Monday October 12, 2020.
No mention of what Jose Morato and company did to us, including the publication of falsified documents to make us appear at fault; that they did nothing wrong.
By the way, who started it all? That’s what the Courts have to answer. And may I suggest, send copies to my sisters and not only the Corporate Secretary of Javea. This is the first time I received an ORDER two days ago, last Monday together with the “Joint Resolution” dated May 21, 2020. My lawyers did not even get one.
For comments and suggestions email at mlmorato@yahoo.com