DOJ to summon gaming tycoon Okada over controversial deal

Japanese gaming magnate Kazuo Okada: Teaming up with Antonio family AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Justice will summon Japanese billionaire and gaming tycoon  Kazuo Okada to answer the criminal complaint filed against him regarding the multi-billion peso Entertainment City Project of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Deana Perez said they were hoping that the subpoena would be issued as early as Friday.

This is the first time that the DoJ will summon Okada. Prior to the Oct. 17 preliminary investigation, the DoJ failed to summon Okada after the National Bureau of Investigation only provided to the prosecutors Okada’s address in Japan which is outside their jurisdiction.

On Thursday’s preliminary investigation, the NBI has given the DoJ panel Okada’s business address in Laguna.

NBI investigation showed that Okada is part owner of Aga Philippines with business address at the Laguna Techno Park in Biñan, Laguna.

On the other hand, other Japanese respondents to the Anti-Dummy Case Tiger Resort Directors Ken Taura and Tetsutaro Shibata submitted their counter affidavit. The two denied the allegations against them.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by the NBI who discovered that Okada’s Universal Entertainment Corp. used three local firms – Eagle I Landholdings Inc., Eagle II Holdco Inc. and Tiger Resort Inc. – to circumvent the 40-percent limit on foreign ownership on businesses in the country under the laws.

Aside from Okada, included in the complaint for violation of the Anti-Dummy Law  are eight other Japanese nationals which include Tiger Resort chairman Hajime Tokuda; president Mitsuo Hida; and directors Ken Taura, Tetsutaro Shibata, Takeshi Nojima, Koki Seki, Masato Araki and Manabu Kawasaki.

Also named in the complaint are Eagle I director Rodolfo Soriano Jr.; Eagle II executives Hector de Leon Jr., Ramon Songco, Llewellyn Llanillo, Rene Soriano, Andres Sta. Maria, Roberto San Juan, Manuel Camacho and Paulo Bombase; Tiger Resort executives and officers Imelda Manguiat, Jose Ma. Hofileña, Carina Laforteza and Jan Abano; and Platinum Gaming and Entertainment Corp. officers Roberto Suson, Ma. Lourdes Go and Victor Emmanuel Caindic.

Three foreign affiliates of Universal – Molly investment Cooperative in the Netherlands, Aruze USA Inc. in the U.S. and Hong-Kong based firm Future Fortune Ltd. – were also implicated in the anomaly, along with local firms Lex Development Corp., Ultralex Holdings Corp. and Platinum Gaming and Entertainment Corp.