NBI prepares more charges vs. online personality
Published May 22, 2020 12:00 am
By Jeffrey Damicog
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to file this Monday, May 25, before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office more charges against online personality and businessman Norman Mangusin who is better known to citizens as Francis Leo Marcos.
Online personality Francis Leo Marcos
(Manny Llanes / MANILA BULLETIN) 19052020_leo marcos_03_mannyllanes “May ipa-file pa kami by Monday sa kanya, yung passport law tsaka yung concealment of real name (We file charges against him this Monday for having violated the Passport Law and for concealment of true name,” said NBI Cyber Crime Divison (NBI-CCD) Chief Victor Lorenzo on Friday, May 22. The NBI-CCD filed before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, May 21, criminal complaints against Marcos for having violating Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and for violating the Anti-Alias Law under Commonwealth Act No. 142, as amended by RA 6085. In the complaint, the NBI-CCD cited that the cybercriminal case stemmed from the complaint of the First Greenmeadows Homeowners’ Association Inc. filed before the NBI-CCD. The complainant accused Marcos, through his online “Mayaman Challenge”, of “making it appear to the public that the residents have failed to do anything to help the suffering masses (as they) hide in the comfort of their homes.” The NBI-CCD also cited in the complaint that “Mangusin even admitted voluntarily that he was using both the name of Francis Leo Antonio Marcos and the name of Norman Mangusin y Antonio, a clear violation under C.A. No. 142 (as amended by RA # 6085) otherwise known as “The Anti-Alias Law.” Marcos was arrested in Quezon City last Tuesday, May 19, by agents of the NBI-CCD led by Lorenzo based on the warrant of arrest issued in 2018 by Baguio City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 60 where the businessman is facing charges of violating Republic Act 8050, the Revised Optometry Law of 1995. During his arrest, NBI-CCD agents also seized from the businessman, for purposes of identification, passports under the name of Francis Leo Antonio Marcos. Lorenzo said investigators have already verified with the Office of the Civil Registrar which issued a certification that the there appear to be records of birth under the name Francis Leo Antonio Marcos. The NBI official also explained there is a difference between the violations of using an alias and the concealment of true name. He pointed out that in the concealment of true name, there could be “the intention to evade justice.” “Halimbawa kasi may mga warrant, nagpalit ka ng pangalan, concealment of true name yun, may violation ka doon (For example, there are warrants of arrest against you and you hid your name, that’s a violation),” Lorenzo said. “Yung alias law naman, kapag gumamit ka ng pangalan na hindi sayo na wala kang court order for the change of name (Under the alias law, there is a violation if you used another name without a court order),” he added. Lorenzo confirmed that Marcos is also the subject of two other warrants of arrest, one issued by the RTC of Gapan City, Nueva Ecija for a case of violating the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children (VAWC) Act of 2004. The other issued by the Manila RTC is issued against the person named Norman Mangusin for charges of qualified trafficking in violation of the Anti-Trafficking of Persons Act. The NBI official noted Marcos had posted bail of P20,000 each for the charges of violating the Optometry Law and VAWC Act. However, Lorenzo said Marcos will remain detained since qualified trafficking is a non-bailable offense. “Kahit mag-post siya ng bail sa lahat o ma-further investigation kami doon sa mga kasong nai-file namin standing pa rin yun. Dapat mag-petition for bail siya para makapag-bail doon (Even if he posted bail or prosecutors ordered for further investigation the cases we filed, the qualified trafficking case still stands. Marcos will have to seek a petition for bail before the court handling the qualified trafficking case),” Lorenzo explained.
Online personality Francis Leo Marcos(Manny Llanes / MANILA BULLETIN) 19052020_leo marcos_03_mannyllanes “May ipa-file pa kami by Monday sa kanya, yung passport law tsaka yung concealment of real name (We file charges against him this Monday for having violated the Passport Law and for concealment of true name,” said NBI Cyber Crime Divison (NBI-CCD) Chief Victor Lorenzo on Friday, May 22. The NBI-CCD filed before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, May 21, criminal complaints against Marcos for having violating Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and for violating the Anti-Alias Law under Commonwealth Act No. 142, as amended by RA 6085. In the complaint, the NBI-CCD cited that the cybercriminal case stemmed from the complaint of the First Greenmeadows Homeowners’ Association Inc. filed before the NBI-CCD. The complainant accused Marcos, through his online “Mayaman Challenge”, of “making it appear to the public that the residents have failed to do anything to help the suffering masses (as they) hide in the comfort of their homes.” The NBI-CCD also cited in the complaint that “Mangusin even admitted voluntarily that he was using both the name of Francis Leo Antonio Marcos and the name of Norman Mangusin y Antonio, a clear violation under C.A. No. 142 (as amended by RA # 6085) otherwise known as “The Anti-Alias Law.” Marcos was arrested in Quezon City last Tuesday, May 19, by agents of the NBI-CCD led by Lorenzo based on the warrant of arrest issued in 2018 by Baguio City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 60 where the businessman is facing charges of violating Republic Act 8050, the Revised Optometry Law of 1995. During his arrest, NBI-CCD agents also seized from the businessman, for purposes of identification, passports under the name of Francis Leo Antonio Marcos. Lorenzo said investigators have already verified with the Office of the Civil Registrar which issued a certification that the there appear to be records of birth under the name Francis Leo Antonio Marcos. The NBI official also explained there is a difference between the violations of using an alias and the concealment of true name. He pointed out that in the concealment of true name, there could be “the intention to evade justice.” “Halimbawa kasi may mga warrant, nagpalit ka ng pangalan, concealment of true name yun, may violation ka doon (For example, there are warrants of arrest against you and you hid your name, that’s a violation),” Lorenzo said. “Yung alias law naman, kapag gumamit ka ng pangalan na hindi sayo na wala kang court order for the change of name (Under the alias law, there is a violation if you used another name without a court order),” he added. Lorenzo confirmed that Marcos is also the subject of two other warrants of arrest, one issued by the RTC of Gapan City, Nueva Ecija for a case of violating the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children (VAWC) Act of 2004. The other issued by the Manila RTC is issued against the person named Norman Mangusin for charges of qualified trafficking in violation of the Anti-Trafficking of Persons Act. The NBI official noted Marcos had posted bail of P20,000 each for the charges of violating the Optometry Law and VAWC Act. However, Lorenzo said Marcos will remain detained since qualified trafficking is a non-bailable offense. “Kahit mag-post siya ng bail sa lahat o ma-further investigation kami doon sa mga kasong nai-file namin standing pa rin yun. Dapat mag-petition for bail siya para makapag-bail doon (Even if he posted bail or prosecutors ordered for further investigation the cases we filed, the qualified trafficking case still stands. Marcos will have to seek a petition for bail before the court handling the qualified trafficking case),” Lorenzo explained.