Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 4) — The Sandiganbayan on Friday convicted former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) chairman Efraim Genuino of graft for illegally releasing P37.06 million worth of funds to an association without board approval.
According to a decision by the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division, Genuino – along with ex-Pagcor president Rafael Francisco and former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez — violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019) for allowing direct release of funds to the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA) in 2019.
PASA was training athletes competing for the 2012 London Olympics events during the period. The anti-graft court, however, said state prosecutors proved that Genuino and other respondents acted in manifest partiality for providing the budget instead of being coursed through the PSC.
The decision said Ramirez wrote an authorization letter to Genuino which allowed Pagcor to deduct PASA’s needed amount from PSC’s legal monthly income share.
“Plainly, the direct release of a portion of the PSC’s share from PAGCOR to PASA was illegal as it directly contravened the above-quoted provision of the law,” said the decision dated March 3.
“[Defense witness Julia Llanto] likewise confirmed that there was no PSC Board Resolution authorizing Pagcor to directly release a portion of the PSC’s income share from Pagcor to PASA,” it added.
Meanwhile, the anti-graft court dismissed the charge against Genuino for allegedly using the funds to handle the swimmers’ training in a family-owned facility. Sandiganbayan said the prosecution failed to prove Genuino’s ties to TRACE Aquatic Center.
The Office of Ombudsman filed the cases against the former Pagcor chief in 2016 while he was arraigned in 2017.
The Sandiganbayan perpetually disqualified Genuino from public office and sentenced him to prison for at least six years and one month to a maximum of 10 years.
Former Pagcor senior vice president Edward King, former executive vice president Rene Figueroa, and former assistant vice president Valente Custodio were cleared from the charges involving this case.
Cases against ex-Pagcor vice president Ester Hernandez and Pasa president Mark Joseph were archived as both remain at large.
