Globaltech Mobile Online Corporation expressed confidence that the illegal gambling complaint prepared by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against its tellers will be dropped at the prosecutor’s level for lack of probable cause just like what happened in Quezon City.
This was according to Globaltech’s legal counsel, Lawyer Bryan Pelandas, in reaction to the arrest of 27 tellers of Peryahan ng Bayan outlets in three towns on Monday.
Pelandas said the arrest of Globaltech tellers by NBI agents was an illegal action.
He cited a news report of the Philippine Daily Inquirer that NBI also conducted the same operation in Quezon City and the cases were dismissed at the level of the prosecutor’s office.
He said the three assistant state prosecutors in Quezon City dismissed the complaints on the ground that the operation of Globaltech is legal because the case where the question on the legality of its operation is the subject is still pending at the Court of Appeals.
In its defense, Globaltech pointed out that until the Court of Appeals resolves that the termination of the Deed of Authority of Globaltech issued by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) was correct, the operation of Peryahan ng Bayan by Globaltech is legal.
Globaltech will use the same argument in the cases in Bohol and if the Quezon City assistant state prosecutors had dismissed the cases against the tellers of Globaltech, there is strong probability that the prosecutors here would also dismiss the cases here on the same ground.
Pelandas pointed out that Globaltech still has that Deed of Authority issued by the PCSO and these documents are legal.
So, the Peryahan ng Bayan outlets of Globaltech continue with their operations and Globaltech is informing the public that the arrest of their tellers by NBI agents last Monday will not affect the operation of Globaltech in Bohol.
The fact that the termination of the Deed of Authority for Globaltech is still being questioned in court should be respected.
On September 27, NBI agents and persons representing PCSO also swooped down on five kiosks of Globaltech in Talibon and arrested of five tellers.
Complaints of violations of the Anti-Gambling Law in relation to Cybercrime Prevention Act or RA 10175 had been filed before the fiscal’s office against them.
They had posted bail at P80,000 each the day after the filing of the complaints.
Globaltech was issued a Deed of Authority in 2014. But PCSO terminated it on March 2, 2016 through PCSO Board Resolution 51 Series of 2016.
The case between PCSO and Globaltech is now pending at the Court of Appeals.
Globaltech had also clarified earlier that the operations of Globaltech are not illegal. It’s just that there is a pending case because of the termination of the Deed of Authority and such termination of the Deed of Authority done by the PCSO is what is being questioned by Globaltech in court.
With this argument, Globaltech can continue with its operations.