School denies using funds for swimmers

Los Banos, Laguna—The administration of Trace College owned by the family of former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chair Efraim Genuino belied allegations that it benefited from a P30-million fund from the state-run gaming company.

“We are an independent institution and we have nothing to do with that issue,” said Cindy Boborol, the lone staff of Trace College who faced the Inquirer on Thursday.

Boborol was responding to the graft, money laundering, technical malversation and violation of the forfeiture law cases filed by the new Pagcor management against Genuino, the head of a private swimmers’ association and the Philippine Sports Commission, for allegedly misusing P34 million in Pagcor fund intended for the country’s swimming athletes.

The complainants alleged that the previous Pagcor management had unlawfully funneled funds meant for sports development to the private Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (Pasa), which in turn allegedly channeled the money to the school owned by the family of Genuino.

In an attempt to seek the school’s comment, the Inquirer requested phone and personal interviews with the school officials but was denied entry to the private high-end academic institution that also houses “auxiliary” facilities such as hotel suites, a fitness gym and an aquatic sports complex.

Boborol, talking with the Inquirer at the school’s gate, said the only “person-in-charge”— whose name she also refused to give due to confidentiality—of answering media queries is out of the country until July.

Trace College first opened as a computer school here sometime in 1995, according to residents here.

In 1998, Trace College opened its hotel facilities, and in 2003, an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Trace College hosted the aquatic events in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

Genuino’s wife, Aurora, is the president of Trace College while their son, lawyer Erwin, who ran but lost in the 2010 mayoral race in Makati City, serves as the school’s manager.

The school’s staff member, however, said they did not have any contact with the Genuinos.

Another Genuino son, Anthony, is the mayor of this town. During his campaign in 2010, Anthony answered criticisms that he was not a resident of Los Baños by claiming residence at the Trace College.

His staff member said he never held a position in the school.

Mariflor Tado, former vice president of Trace College on academics and now the municipal administrator, said the mayor is “not in the position” to speak about the issues involving the college.

She said Anthony kept his hands off the school operations since he ran for mayor of this town.

“He really doesn’t know about that,” she said, speaking for Anthony, who refused to answer phone calls and was out of his office on Thursday.

Tado said it was very unlikely that the fund went to  Trace College, saying the school “has its own accounting (and is) a nonstock, nonprofit institution.” She did not elaborate on this.

Trace College has been housing and providing high school and college scholarships to the members of the Philippine swimming team, or Pasa, since 2005.

“They (athletes) have to stay there because their trainings are in the morning and in the afternoon,” said Ace Soriano, the secretary for technical affairs of the Southern Tagalog Amateur Swimming Association.