DOJ forms panel to handle graft raps vs ex-PAGCOR chair, son

The Department of Justice has formed a panel of prosecutors to handle the graft and malversation charges against former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chair Efraim Genuino, his son Erwin, and 25 others. In Department Order No. 517, Justice Sec. Leila de Lima named Assistant State Prosecutor Gino Paulo Santiago as chair, with Assistant State Prosecutors Mary Ann Parong and Susan Villanueva as members. Two weeks ago, the current PAGCOR leadership filed a graft and malversation complaint against the two Genuinos, 13 former officials of the state-owned gaming firm, and 14 other officials from BIDA Productions Inc. and VIVA Communications Inc. In its complaint, PAGCOR said their former officials approved the release of P26.7 million to support the film "Baler," produced in 2008 by BIDA and VIVA. The younger Genuino and Del Rosario are the executive producers of Baler. "Respondents, in conspiracy with each other, fraudulently appropriated, took, misappropriated or consented or, through abandonment or negligence, permitted another person to take public funds from the coffers of PAGCOR," the complaint said. Of the movie's production cost of P40 million, BIDA was to shoulder two-thirds (P26.7 million) and VIVA the other third (P13.3 million). The complaint alleged that BIDA paid VIVA its P26.7 million share in five staggered payments but the amount was supposedly charged to PAGCOR. In its complaint, PAGCOR presented a memorandum of corporate communications head Edward King to the PAGCOR Board of Trustees to show how the amount was charged to PAGCOR's Player Tracking System (PTS in 12 casinos. In its PTS, PAGCOR awards incentives such as movie tickets to loyal patrons. PAGCOR said its board, led by its former chair Efraim Genuino, approved the memorandum because there is supposedly a clamor for Baler tickets. But there was no clamor to begin with, resulting in the waste of P26.7 million. "The dismal sale of Baler tickets among casino patrons using their PTS points clearly proves that the alleged 'clamor of casino patrons' was a farce/concoction," PAGCOR said. "It is clear that the justification of PAGCOR's participation in the movie project, of simply facilitating the sale of Baler tickets among casino patrons, was non-existent at the outset," it added. — LBG, GMA News