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The lawyers of Mansasa Barangay Captain Manolo Blanco requested  the court to release to the city prosecutors office the evidences seized during the raid conducted at his residence last May 15.

City Prosecutor II Alberto Santos Rara received last Friday the letter-reply from RTC Judge Sylva Aguirre-Paderanga denying said request. The lady judge who issued the search warrant has the actual inventory of the seized items including the P586,750 cash believed to be the bet money as proceeds of the day's operation of the illegal numbers game of swertres.

For his part, Melvin Ramon Buenafe, chief of the regional intelligence division of PRO-7 wrote Fiscal Rara that the evidences were turned over to RTC Judge Paderanga during the return of the Search Warrant issued by the said Cebu-based court.  The PNP official said it is "upon the discretion of the honorable court to release the said evidence from their custody."

PO2 Vincent Letigio and PO1 Layman Arsua who attended the preliminary hearing last Friday hand carried the letters of Judge Paderanga and Col. Buenafe.

The barangay captain was tagged as the alleged big-time financier of the illegal numbers game of swertres in the province. He posted bail few hours after his arrest which prevented the Cebu operatives to bring him to the regional PNP command.

The arrest of Blanco captured media limelight after he was assured by the Tagbilaran city mayor of the "best lawyer" to defend him saying that he (mayor) "will not abandon a friend."

Appearing for Blanco during last Friday's hearing were lawyers Amante and Roland Inting.

source: Bohol Chronicle