2nd plunder rap filed vs ex-Pagcor chief

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) filed yesterday another graft case with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against its former chair Efraim Genuino, this time over the alleged misuse of funds worth some P186 million to support his daughter’s congressional bid in last year’s polls.

In a 127-page complaint, Pagcor chair Cristino Naguiat Jr. accused his predecessor of conspiring with 38 former officials in diverting from 2003 to 2010 the funds to Batang Iwas Droga (BIDA) Foundation, which ran but lost in the party-list elections with Genuino’s daughter, Sheryl Genuino-See, as its first nominee.

The state-run gaming firm submitted as evidence several documents and a total of 17 checks paid to BIDA by its previous administration to prove the purported misappropriation of funds.

“These are all documented. We don’t file cases if we don’t have evidence,” Naguiat told reporters in an interview.

Genuino and the others were charged with plunder since the amount involved was over P50 million.

Pagcor alleged that there was conflict of interest in its previous transactions with BIDA since most of the foundation’s officers were also officers of the gaming firm, including See and Genuino’s son Erwin.

Documents submitted with the complaint showed that Pagcor shouldered the cost of advertisements amounting to over P63 million to promote BIDA from 2008 until the elections last year.

The gaming firm had also paid P14.42 million for BIDA pins, BIDA ID cards and tarpaulins, which were used in the BIDA caravan, and other collaterals to BIDA Production.

On top of that, Pagcor also paid BIDA Production P14.15 million for event management, creative design and production of BIDA Foundation’s  Maligayang Barangay, Maagang Pasko 2005 and Pinakamaligayang Barangay 2006 projects.

“They’re saying that it was for a good cause. But then again there’s conflict of interest since these former Pagcor officials are the same members of BIDA. And it was converted into a party-list so they really had a plan,” Naguiat said.

Apart from Genuino and his two children, also charged with plunder and violation of the Anti-Graft Law are former Pagcor board members Rafael Francisco (president and COO), Manuel Roxas, Philip Lo, Danilo Gozo, Imelda Dimaporo, Ester Laconico Feria, Susana Dumlao Vargas, and

Gamaliel Cordoba who is currently a commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Former Pagcor officials Jose Benedicto (chief of staff), Rene Figueroa (executive vice president), Edward King (vice president for corporate communications and services dept), Carlos Bautista Jr. (VP for legal department), Ester Hernandez (VP for accounting), Valente Custodio (AVP for internal audit), Jesselyn Durante-Cuizon (assistant manager of legal department), and Erwin Genuino (executive assistant of legal department); and former Pagcor consultants Mario Cornista, Rodolfo Soriano Jr., Tomas Toledo, and Emilio Marcelo were also named respondents.

With them were BIDA Foundation incorporators/members namely Jesus Velmonte, Cornelio Valerio, Nicanor Roxas, Michael Nisperos, Arnold Garchitorena, Angelo Tesoro, Jose Salindong, Johnny Tan, Philip Beltran, Luis Guerrero, Carol Matsuda, Olive Soriano, and Josephine Sumangil-Evangelista. Sheryl Genuino-See is also included in the plunder charge.

Other respondents include Manuel Nocon Jr., Dennis Celeste, Ronald Tagayon, Adriano Velmonte, Rafael Torcuator, and Anna Maria Espiritu who were incorporators/members of BIDA Production, Wildformat and/or Pencil First. These three entities rendered creative and advertising services for BIDA who then got heftily paid by Pagcor.

“We’re still looking at other possible cases. There are several others that we need to check. But we also need to balance this with our operations,” said Naguiat.

It was the third graft case filed against Genuino and other former Pagcor officials. Last June 14, Pagcor filed graft and malversation charges against Genuino and other former officials with the DOJ over the alleged misuse of millions to fund the film “Baler” in 2008.

Weeks after, a second complaint was filed against the same former officials with the Office of the Ombudsman about the anomalous release of funding assistance worth P34 million to the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association, Inc. (PASA) beginning 2007.  

Open to investigation

Meantime, Malacañang is open to any kind of investigation with regard to perceived anomalies committed by the previous management of Pagcor, particularly on the alleged use of intelligence funds.

“We have no problem with that, just like what (Budget) Secretary Butch Abad said, we are moving towards the liquidation of intelligence funds. We always support anything that has to do with transparency,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told Palace reporters.

There have been allegations that just like the revenue-generating Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Pagcor – under the watch of Genuino during the Arroyo administration – had also been utilizing intelligence funds even if it didn’t need such. – With Delon Porcalla