Sandiganbayan upholds graft conviction of Genuino

Former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chair Efraim Genuino. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the graft conviction of former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chair Efraim Genuino in connection with Pagcor’s alleged irregular disbursement of more than P37 million to the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (Pasa) from 2007 to 2009 to train swimmers for the 2012 Olympics in London.

The court said Pagcor gave Pasa “unwarranted benefits” since no other sports association received such benefit.

In a resolution on June 8, the antigraft court junked Genuino’s motion for reconsideration on his graft conviction promulgated on March 3.

The court also denied the pleas by Genuino’s coaccused, former Pagcor president Rafael Francisco and former Philippine Sports Commission chair William Ramirez, for lack of merit.

Genuino and Francisco both argued to the court that the case against them should have been dismissed on the ground that their constitutional rights had been violated, noting that the court took “almost 12 years” to resolve their case.

READ: Sandiganbayan convicts ex-Pagcor chair Genuino of graft

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