Kazuo Okada is now getting his chance to air out his side regarding allegations to criminal charges recommended against him and his company over its $2 billion integrated resort and casino in the Philippines.
The Japanese gambling tycoon was issued a subpoena by the Philippines’ Department of Justice to answer the charges and attend the preliminary investigation, scheduled on October 17 and October 18.
Okada is being summoned to attend the meeting to face the investigative panel and answer the number of charges filed against him and a number of other individuals employed under his companies. As it stands now, the billionaire faces a multitude of raps that include violations of the Philippine Anti-Dummy Law, Public Land Act, Foreign Investment Act and Article XII of the Constitution.
In addition to Okada, eight other Japanese nationals have also been summoned by the DOJ to attend the hearing. It’s a list that includes Tiger Resort chairman Hajime Tokuda; president Mitsuo Hida; and directors Ken Taura, Tetsutaro Shibata, Takeshi Nojima, Koki Seki, Masato Araki, and Manabu Kawasaki.
Likewise, 17 Filipinos implicated in the investigation were also issued summons, including Eagle I director Rodolfo Soriano Jr.; Eagle II executives Hector de Leon Jr., Ramon Songco, Llewellyn Llanillo, Rene Soriano, Andres Sta. Maria, Roberto San Juan, Manuel Camacho and Paulo Bombase; Tiger Resort executives and officers Imelda Manguiat, Jose Ma. Hofileña, Carina Laforteza and Jan Abano; and Platinum Gaming and Entertainment Corp. officers Roberto Suson, Ma. Lourdes Go and Victor Emmanuel Caindic.
But the big tuna in all of this is Okada, the billionaire owner of Universal Entertainment. If there’s a resolution that can be made from this case, his attendance at the preliminary hearing will go a long way in getting the wheels in motion to finally getting to the bottom of this long-running saga.
