PAGCOR Chairman Cristino “Bong” Naguiat. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/EDWIN BACASMAS
The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) on Monday filed P234-million plunder and graft charges before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against former officials of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), led by its former chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) Cristino Naguiat and chairman Atty. Jorge Sarmiento.
In an eight-page complaint, aside from Naguiat and Sarmiento, also facing a complaint for plunder and graft were board members Jose S. Tanjuatco, Enriguito M. Nuguid and Eugene G. Manalastas; members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Milagros Pauline L. Visque , Ramon Jose E. Jones, Romeo R. Cruz, Jr., Annalyn Zoglmann and lawyer Kathleen G. Delantar; and Vanderwood Management Corporation (VMC) president Manuel B. Sy.
The complaint stemmed from the lease contract that Pagcor awarded to VMC in 2015 which the Commission on Audit (COA) said was “highly irregular and anomalous.”
The 6,500-square meter property which was subject of the lease contract, according to VACC, is owned by the Manila City government. The property is within the portion of the Museo ng Maynila Complex, formerly Army and Navy Club.
Complainants said the property was leased by the city government to Oceanville Hotel and Spa Corporation sometime in January 2014.
“The amount of P234,000,000 was paid to VMC representing 12 months advance rental and six months security deposit atP13,000,000 per month pursuant to the lease contract, despite the fact that the premises to be leased were not existing the time of the execution of the contract,” the complaint read.
“Considering that there were no leased premises to speak of, the disbursement of P234,000,000 was irregular and, therefore, disallowable in audit pursuant to Commission on Audit Circular No. 2012-003 dated October 29, 2012,” it added. RAM/rga
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