MANILA - The Sandiganbayan on Friday ordered the suspension of Optical Media Board (OMB) chairman Ronaldo "Ronnie" Ricketts and three others for graft.

In a resolution, the Sandigabayan ordered Ricketts and OMB officers Manuel Mangubat, Joseph Arnaldo and Glenn Perez to desist from exercising their official functions for 90 days.

The Office of the Ombudsman earlier filed a graft complaint against the four officials over the alleged return of confiscated pirated DVDs and VCDs to its manufacturer.

An investigation earlier revealed that the OMB team seized 127 boxes and two sacks of pirated DVDs and VCDs from the Sky High Marketing Corporation on May 10, 2010.

The seized items were brought to the OMB office but were pulled out in the same evening without any approved gate pass.

The Ombudsman said Ricketts ordered the pull-out using a truck owned by the raided establishment.

The unjustified release of the confiscated items allegedly compromised the evidence.

Ricketts and his co-accused earlier pleaded not guilty to graft during an arraignment at the Sandiganbayan. -- With a report from Robert Mano, radio dzMM