Operator News
Philippines – Kazuo Okada not yet cleared of perjury and fraud in the Philippines
By Phil - 25 May 2018
The Philippines’ Department of Justice has initiated an investigation into the Paranaque City prosecutor who cleared Kazuo Okada of charges of fraud brought against him by Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment, a subsidiary of Universal, the company founder by Mr. Okada.
Philippine Justice Secretary Menardo Guevara said that Paranaque City Prosecutor Amerhassan Paudac will be investigated to find out if he disclosed his ruling on Okada’s case before he should have with the potential outcome that his decision will be void.
The prosecutor had absolved former Universal owner Mr. Okada for any wrongdoing in the fraud case brought against him by the Philippine casino operator. However documents containing the verdict, which is yet to be confirmed, were leaked onto social media.
In the documents, Prosecutor Romeo Bautista has said: “The facts in the case are insufficient to engender a well-founded belief that a crime of Estafa (fraud) has been committed. The instant complaint must be recommended dismissed, the contractual relation being discussed being completely inconsistent with the presence and negating the existence of estafa.”
Mr. Okada’s lawyer said that the decision spoke for itself, claiming that Universal was guilty of trying to smear Mr. Okada’s reputation with ‘baseless allegations’ first in Hong Kong and then in the Philippines.
Now Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment is demanding the judicial disqualification of the prosecutor involved in the case for allegedly leaking a copy of his decision three days before it had bee confirmed.
Tiger has requested the recusal of city prosecutor Amerhassan Paudac following the leak of photos regarding his decision to clear Okada which were subsequently posted on social media by Chloe Kim, believed to be Mr. Okada’s love interest.
A spokesperson for Tiger said: “There is factual and legal basis to believe that Paudac is biased and partial in favour of respondent Okada. Favouring one party not only offends due process, but is a clear indication of bias and partiality which may warrant administrative, civil or criminal sanctions,” it said. “Resolutions purportedly disposing the captioned cases in favor of respondent Okada have apparently been leaked as shown by the unlawful publication thereof in the Facebook and Instagram accounts of his (Okada’s) close companion, Chloe Kim although said resolutions have not been officially released.”
Tiger Resort, the operator behind Manila casino Okada Manila, had levelled accusations at Mr. Okada and several other directors of illegally taking $10m of company funds between 2016 and 2017.
