Okada refutes bribe allegations anew

MANILA, Philippines–The group of Japanese gaming magnate Kazuo Okada again refuted on Wednesday allegations of improper conduct in obtaining a foothold in the Philippines, noting that the provisional license granted by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to its local unit contained the same terms and conditions granted to other gaming licensees.

The license was granted by Pagcor to Okada-led Universal Entertainment Corp. (UEC), through its local subsidiary Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc.

In a statement on Wednesday, UEC lawyer Yuki Arai said there’s no basis to allegations that improper payments were made to obtain preferential treatment in the Philippines.

Arai quoted certain documents such as a March 21, 2012, letter from Pagcor to attest that the provisional license issued to Tiger on Aug. 5, 2008, was “standard” to all four licensees in the Entertainment City Manila project.

“Pagcor indicated that the Philippine project would obtain the necessary approvals including, but not limited to, the so-called ‘negative list exclusion,’ required under Philippine law and available to potential licensees without special benefit which was based upon Philippine laws,” Arai said.

In other words, Arai suggested there would be no need to make any improper payments for Okada’s Philippine project. Also, he pointed out that the project did not seek or receive special benefit with respect to Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) designation of the complex as an economic zone, noting this was stated by Peza itself in its Aug. 23, 2013, letter and supported by a legal opinion from Philippine lawyers.

Arai also refuted his client’s hand in an alleged $40-million bribery scheme involving former Pagcor consultant Rodolfo “Boysie” Soriano and a former UEC employee Mitsuo Hida. He reiterated that the $10 million of the $40 million was merely transferred within the UEC group of companies and could not have been made as an improper payment to a third party.

Hida has already admitted his own misconduct in an apology letter dated Jan. 24, 2012, with respect to a $5 million payment. Other unauthorized payments of $5 million and $25 million are the subject of a criminal complaint brought by UEC against Hida at the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office.