The Manila Times

Criminal charges vs Okada dismissed

BY FRANCO JOSE C. BAROÑA

THE Office of the City Prosecutor (OCP) in Makati has dismissed the criminal charges filed against Japanese gaming tycoon Kazuo Okada and several board members of Okada Manila for lack of probable cause.

The charges against Kazuo and Okada Manila board members Dindo Espeleta, Modesto Josel Flores, Tetsuya Yokota and Hiroshi Kawamura include falsification of public documents and use of falsified documents. The charges were filed by Hajime Tokuda, director of Asia Best Group International and Universal Entertainment Corp., the parent company of Tiger Resort Leisure Entertainment Inc. (TRLEI), operator of Okada Manila.

The complaints were lodged weeks before Kazuo, businessman Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangco and Espeleta took over the management of the casino-hotel.

Tokuda alleged in his complaint affidavit dated May 30 that Kazuo and his group committed the purported crimes in relation to a letter dated May 3, 2022, and the Secretary’s Certificate dated May 4, 2022, submitted to a certain bank informing it of the new authorized signatories to TRLEI’s bank accounts.

However, in the resolution issued on July 22, a copy of which was received by TRLEI on August 8, Makati City Assistant Prosecutor Kristina So-Reyes ruled that based on the evidence on record, there is no probable cause to charge Kazuo and the others.

The Makati City Prosecutor’s Office further found that the challenged act of Kazuo’s group was based on the status quo ante order (SQAO) issued by the Supreme Court on April 27, 2022.

It was clear, according to OCP Makati, that there was no false pretense or misrepresentation on the part of Kazuo and his co-accused.

In a statement sent to The Manila Times on Wednesday, Kazuo said the decision “further strengthens” his rightful and legal hold on the casino-hotel integrated resort.

“The OCP Makati’s resolution is a testament that the Okada group has done nothing illegal with respect to its recovery of Okada Manila,” Kazuo said. “Despite the actions of the Tokuda group to disrupt the operations of Okada Manila with their barrage of false accusations, the Okada group is encouraged by the fact that the OCP of Makati has upheld the actions of the Okada group, just like the Supreme Court, Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) and the City of Parañaque.”

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2022-08-11T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-08-11T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://digitaledition.manilatimes.net/article/281775632933185

The Manila Times