The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) today filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) cases of malversation of public funds and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against 13 former PAGCOR officials and 14 other individuals over the disbursement of public funds amounting to P26.7 million for the production of the movie “Baler” in 2008.

Named respondents to the case are former PAGCOR officials Efraim Genuino (ex-Chairman and CEO), Rafael “Butch” Francisco (ex-President/COO), former Board Members Manuel Roxas, Philip Lo and Gamaliel Cordoba (now Commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission), Jose Benedicto (ex PAGCOR Chief-of-Staff), Rene Figueroa (former Executive Vice President), Edward “Dodie” King (former Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Services Department), Carlos Bautista, Jr. (former VP of Legal Department), Esther Hernandez (former VP of Accounting Department), Valente Custodio (former Assistant VP for Internal Audit), Jesselyn Durante-Cuizon (former Assistant Manager of Legal Department), and former Executive Assistant Erwin Genuino, son of Efraim Genuino.

Also charged are BIDA Foundation officials Mario Cornista, Rodolfo Soriano, Sr., Emilio Marcelo, Philip Beltran, Luis Guerrero, Olive Soriano, Jesus Velmonte, Carol Matsuda and Josephine Sumangil-Evangelista who is now Vice Mayor of Los Banos, Laguna. Also named respondents to the case are officials of VIVA Communications, Inc. Vicente Del Rosario, Jr. (Chairman and CEO), Marcia Gina Lopez (Corporate Secretary), Hermie Go (Associate Producer/Road Manager), Ma. Theresa Santiago (Comptroller/Accountant), and Tony Magtoto (Sales/Distribution representative).

PAGCOR said the charges filed against the 27 respondents stemmed from the joint movie production of “Baler” between VIVA and BIDA Productions. Baler was one of the official entries in the 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). The Executive Producers of the film were Vicente Del Rosario, Jr. for VIVA and Erwin Genuino for BIDA.

Based on information obtained by PAGCOR, Baler’s production cost was pegged at P40 million. Under the joint movie production agreement between VIVA and BIDA, the latter was supposed to shoulder 2/3 of the total production cost which amounts to P26.7 million while the remaining 1/3 was for the account of VIVA.

Records obtained by PAGCOR likewise show that BIDA’s share of the production cost was purportedly paid to VIVA in four staggered payments of P5 million each in 2008 (June 26, September 3, September 29 and October 24), and the fifth payment of P5 million and last payment of P1.666 million was given on November 25 of the same year.

PAGCOR’s documents also revealed that the payments made by BIDA to VIVA films representing its share in the movie production cost were eventually charged to PAGCOR through committed ticket sales.

It will be recalled that there is a direct connection between PAGCOR and BIDA as can be gleaned from the association of the same personalities in both organizations. Efraim Genuino, Butch Francisco, Dodie King, and Jose Benedicto were all top-ranking PAGCOR officials who are also known officials of Bida Foundation. Meantime, Mario Cornista, Rodolfo Soriano, Sr. and Emilio Marcelo who were all officers of Bida were also hired as PAGCOR consultants during the term of Genuino.

Erwin Genuino, at the time that he participated as Executive Producer of the movie Baler, was a PAGCOR and Bida officer at the same time.

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