5 ex-Pagcor officials named in plunder, malversation complaint

MANILA, Philippines – Five former officials of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) are accused of plunder and malversation over alleged questionable disbursement of funds amounting to P317.7 million in 2012 and 2013. 

In his complaint-in-intervention filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, broadcaster and former Agham representative Angelo Palmones named several ex-Pagcor officials as additional respondents to the original complaint filed by Valente Custodio, a former Pagcor official.

The first complaint was filed against former Pagcor chairperson Cristino Naguiat Jr in March 2019.

The officials included as respondents are former finance and treasury vice president Estela Ramos and assistant vice president Talavera Virginia, assistant vice president (AVP) for accounting Vidal Cabigon Jr, AVP for security Byron Tabangay, and security department officer-in-charge Michael Bailey. 

The two complaints – both by Palmones and Custodio – stemmed from the disbursement of money from the agency’s Confidential and Intelligence Funds amounting to P254.85 million in 2012 and P62.82 million in 2013.

The funds were supposedly used for Pagcor’s Save the House project. 

But the Commission on Audit in June 2013 issued a notice of suspension against the disbursements and eventually issued a notice of disallowance in October 2013 following the agency’s non-submission of required documents.

Custodio, together with former Pagcor chairperson Efraim Genuino and 6 others, had been indicted by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2013 over the use of public funds to promote the movie Baler and for allegedly diverting rice donations meant for Typhoon Frank (Fengshen) victims. – Rappler.com