DOJ calls Genuinos to probe

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

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has summoned former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chairman Efraim Genuino, his two sons and two former associates to appear at Thursday’s start of the preliminary hearing on the alleged diversion of some 3,500 sacks of donated rice.

Genuino, his sons Anthony and Erwin, Edward King and Miraflor Tado  were directed to submit their respective counter-affidavits in the summons dated October 27.

King was Pagcor’s corporate communications chief under Genuino while Tado is a former official of Trace Computer College that the Genuino family is alleged to own.

The case filed by the new Pagcor management on July 18 stemmed from the alleged diversion of about P1.4 million worth of “first-class Thailand rice” to allegedly bolster the mayoral bids of Erwin and Anthony during the May 2010 elections.

Erwin, a former Pagcor counsel, lost his mayoral bid in Makati to Jun-jun Binay, the son of former Makati mayor, and now Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Erwin’s younger brother, Anthony, won the race for the mayoralty of Los Baños, Laguna. His candidacy had been questioned on the ground that he was not a resident of the town.

The complaint, only one of a series of criminal complaints against the Genuinos and their supposed associates, was filed with the DOJ on the day Genuino marked his 62nd birthday. Marlon Ramos