Embattled former Pagcor chief Efraim Genuino should probably lawyer-up soon after the state prosecution team handling the multiple graft and malversation cases against him and other former Pagcor officials has said that there is sufficient evidence to indict the accused and all his co-accused.
The announcement was made earlier this week after the prosecution formally passed a request to the Sandiganbayan Third Division to deny the motion of Genuino and his co-accused for judicial determination of probable cause for lack of merit.
According to the prosecution, the numerous motions filed by Genuino have should be denied by the courts because the motions are already “moot and academic” since the accused have recognized the validity of the arrest warrants.
“For the record, said accused have already posted their bail,” the prosecution said as quoted by the Manila Bulletin. “With the posting of bail by the accused, the prosecution submits that their motions have already become moot and academic.”
Genuino is the most high profile of the individuals who were charged with multiple counts of graft and malversation last May. Others who were named in the filings of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales include Rafael Francisco, Jose Benedicto, Rene Figueroa, Edward King, Ester Hernandez and Valente Custodio, all six of whom previously held management roles in Pagcor when Genuino was at the helm.
Ombudsman Morales signed the Joint Review Resolution last February, indicting the former Pagcor chief and several other Pagcor officials for offenses that include making unlawful donations made to private groups and unlawful advanced payments of Php26.7 million for 89,000 tickets to the movie Baler (Genuino’s foundation, Batas Iwas Droga Foundation (BIDA), was credited as a producer together with Viva Communications) priced at Php300, which was eventually determined to be contrary to the deal approved by Pagcor to offer movie tickets to casino patrons through its Player Tracking System points.
If the state prosecution team’s request is heard and granted by the Sandiganbayan Third Division, Genuino ought to get his legal team in order sooner than later.
