Pagcor officials ordered to return over R50 M for ‘Baler’ film, donations
Former and current officials of the Philippine Gaming Corporation have been ordered to return to government some R26.66 million that the state-run firm spent for the purchase of moviehouse tickets for the screening of “Baler,” a film that was co-produced by a partylist organization that was allegedly formed by former Pagcor chairman and CEO Efraim C. Genuino.
The order was one of two decisions finalizing the issuance of Notices of Disallowance (ND) that was released last week by the Commission on AuditCommission Proper.
In another ruling, the three-man COA-CP also issued a separate decision, likewise released recently, that affirmed the ND issued by COA in connection with Pagcor’s grant of financial assistance to the Asenso Manileño Foundation Inc., in 2008 and 2009.
Under COA rules, an expenditure is disallowed if it is found to be irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant, or unconscionable or IUEEU.
Genuino, who was the CEO of the state-owned casino operators n 2008 and 2009, was ordered to reimburse government a total R32.237 million in total financial assistance granted by Pagcor in two occasions.
The COA-CP headed by Chairman Michael Aguinaldo junked Genuino’s petition for review of the ND that was first affirmed by COA in 2013, saying that it no longer has jurisdiction over the issue.
The highest decision-making body said Genuino defaulted in the filing of the appeal that was belatedly done after the lapse of 187 days from the affirmation of the ND.
Citing a Supreme Court ruling on the declaration of finality of a judgment, the COA-CP stressed that since the ruling was rendered final, the decision is “immutable and unalterable” and may no longer be modified in any respect.
Meanwhile, the COA-CP upheld the liability of Pagcor Asst. Vice President Pedro Michael Cendana on the ND issued July 8, 2014 in connection with the purchase of 89,000 movie house tickets for “Baler" with a total cost of R26,700,000.
The same decision cleared Estala P. Ramos, also a Pagcor executive, from any liability after it was noted that she had no participation in the commission of the irregular expenditure.
Pagcor reportedly helped finance the film by covering the the cost of jointly producing the film by paying for the share in production of the Batang Iwas Droga Foundation Inc. (BIDA).
Records indicated that BIDA was a partylist organization formed by Genuino in 2009 . It fielded his daughter, Sheryl Genuino-See as the first nominee in the 2010 elections.
Cendana called on COA to reverse the findings of his involvement, saying that he merely certified documents authorizing the release of funds on behalf of Edward F. King, then the Pagcor vice president for Corporate Communications.
“CoA stands by its ruling that Cendana should be held liable for certifying the request for funding in behalf of Mr. King and that the expenses were necessary, lawful and incurred under his supervision,” the ruling stated.