Efraim Genuino on Wednesday denied irregularity in the P21-million food purchase the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) made to feed policemen in rallies during his stint there as chairman. Genuino said in a television interview that the amount was just the accumulated value of all food purchases for the policemen for the first half of the year. “Installment kasi ‘yan. Kung minsan, nakaka-accumulate kami ng P2 million, P3 million, P5 million o P6 million, saka pa lang kami magbabayad," he said in an interview aired over “24 Oras." (We pay in installment basis. Sometimes the value accumulates to P2 million, P3 million, P5 million or P6 million before we pay.)
Genuino added that it was customary for PAGCOR to give food assistance to the policemen, and that such a practice has been going on for six years. The former PAGCOR chief also said he is ready to face any investigation that the current PAGCOR officials plan to carry out. “
Kahit sampung lie detector tests, willing
ako. Pati paa ko ilagay nila. Dapat humarap tayo sa mga ganyan (I’m willing to undergo even 10 lie detector tests. Things like that should be dealt with)," he said. Current PAGCOR chairman Cristino Naguiat has ordered the agency to look into the P21-million worth of chicken and hamburger meals that were allegedly paid for by Genuino. A resigned PAGCOR employee allegedly tried to encash a check with the same amount last July 1 to reimburse Genuino. Lawyer Jay Santiago, PAGCOR spokesperson, said what was questionable about the transaction was the amount of money spent by a single person on supposed food transactions. “
Ang isyu kasi rito, napakalaki ng halaga na P21 million
para abonohan ng isang tao (the issue here is P21 million is too big a price to be shouldered by one person)," he said in a separate television interview. Fast food chains McDonalds and Jollibee have also earlier issued separate statements, saying there was nothing irregular with their food transactions with PAGCOR over the past months.
- KBK, GMANews.TV 
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