DOJ to release Pagcor bribery report this month

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to release this month the results of its fact-finding investigation into the alleged $5-million bribery of a former consultant of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) by an affiliate firm of Japanese gaming tycoon Kazuo Okada in 2010.

“I expect the report and recommendations of the fact-finding team this month,” DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima told reporters.

De Lima said she had given the fact-finding team led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rosalina Aquino three extensions to come up with an extensive report.

“I gave them those extensions because they had difficulties in getting access to prospective witnesses both here and in Japan,” she said.

But recently, De Lima said she met with the panel in a case conference and gave them until the end of this month as final deadline to submit its report.

Apart from Aquino, the other members of the DOJ probe team created last November are lawyers Marlon Tauli of the National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Graft Division, and Catherine Camposano, executive officer of the NBI’s Internal Audit Unit.

De Lima said the fact-finding panel is thoroughly investigating possible graft and corrupt acts or other irregularities in the transactions between Pagcor and Universal Entertainment and its affiliates. 

The panel was initially given 30 days to finish its investigation and submit its findings and recommendations for the filing of criminal and administrative charges against those who may be found involved in the alleged bribery.

“In particular, the fact-finding panel shall investigate the allegations that sometime in May 2010, a series of questionable payments was made by Aruze USA to then officials, employees and/or consultants of Pagcor, supposedly in relation to the issuance by the former management of Pagcor of a casino license in favor of Tiger Resort and other transactions that may be related to, or may have had or shall have an effect on the Entertainment City project,” De Lima said. 

The panel is also directed to come up with its evaluation and recommendations on any effect its findings may have on the validity of any existing contracts between the Philippine government and the entities involved. 

The fact-finding probe was ordered upon the request of Pagcor chairman and chief executive officer Cristino Naguiat Jr. amid news reports that a certain Rodolfo Soriano, a former Pagcor consultant, received $5 million in May 2010 from a Hong Kong affiliate of Universal Entertainment Corp., a company majority-owned and controlled by Okada, an investor in Pagcor’s $2-billion, world-class resort-casino complex in Entertainment City in Parañaque City. 

Naguiat noted that while news reports indicated that the $5-million payment to Soriano was being investigated by United States authorities as part of a series of payments totaling $40 million made by Universal’s affiliate Aruze USA, the nature of these payments though was not clear in the reports. 

Soriano was reportedly a close associate of former Pagcor chairman Efraim Genuino.