MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation vice president Estela Ramos was indicted of multiple criminal cases over the alleged diversion of the state gaming firm's fund amounting P120.24-million to an anti-illegal drugs foundation to boost its chances of a Congressional seat in May 2010 elections.
Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan on August 25, the cases against Ramos involve six counts of violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and another six counts of malversation of public funds under the Revised Penal Code.
The ombudsman said that in 2005, 2006 and 2008, Ramos signed several check vouchers totaling P50.047 million as form of “donations/sponsorships” of various events of the Batang Iwas Droga Foundation Inc. (BIDA) such as its Christmas party, a community contest, comics launching, caravan and parade.
Graft investigation and prosecution officer Joseph Licudan said these millions of pesos worth of donations were “unwarranted” and has caused undue injury to Pagcor.
Furthermore, the ombudsman said that in 2009, Ramos also signed another check voucher amounting P70.193 million for the ads placements of BIDA for its supposed anti-illegal drugs advocacy for that year.
The ombudsman said funding was made “under the cloak of Pagcor's corporate-social responsibility project” when in truth, the amount was “used instead to further the aspiration of BIDA to become a party-list at the House of Representatives.”
The ombudsman recommended to the Sandiganbayan to set Ramos bail at P420,000.
It was in May 2013 when the ombudsman filed 19 counts of graft and 20 counts of malversation against former Pagcor chairman Efraim Genuino and six other former Pagcor officials in connection with the alleged diversion of funds to BIDA.
Genuino and the six former Pagcor officials were also accused of mishandling 300 metric tons of rice donated by a Japanese firm for the victims of typhoon Frank in 2008.
The cases are pending before the Sandiganbayan Third Division. Genuino is under provisional liberty after he posted P1.77-million bail in 2013.
Genuino allegedy allowed the diversion of Pagcor funds to BIDA, an organization he founded in 2003, in the hope of securing a seat at the House of Representatives as foundation's representatives for May 2010 elections. BIDA, however, lost its party-list bid.