DOJ denies ending probe of Universal Entertainment, clearing Japanese mogul

The Department of Justice on Monday denied that an investigation into the supposed $5-million bribe given by a unit of Kazuo Okada's Tokyo-based Universal Entertainment Corp. to a former consultant of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) had been terminated and that the gaming mogul had been cleared.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima issued the clarification following a statement from Okada's firm claiming that Prosecutor General Claro Arellano had recommended that the complaint be terminate due to a "groundless suspicion" that Universal offered bribes to Pagcor officials.

Universal's statement claimed all inspections and investigations had been "concluded for all practical purposes in the Philippines."

However, the justice secretary denied that the investigation had been terminated and explained that "[Arellano] has not received the resolution of the panel [of prosecutors]."

Arellano, meanwhile, also denied the claim and confirmed that the complaint was still with the panel of prosecutors. Rather, what he did was order the panel to speed up the resolution of the case.

Prior to the DOJ probe, Okada and his companies were already being investigated in the United States for potential violations of anti-bribery laws in relation to a $2 billion casino project in the Philippines.

The controversial undertaking, touted to be as a Vegas-like gamig and entertainment complex, was a PAGCOR project to be erected on 8 sq. kms. of land on a Manila Bay reclamation site. The site was said to have been approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority as an "economic zone."

Some $15 billion in foreign investments were expected to pour in for the gaming and entertainment project, according to recent estimates. — DVM, GMA News