By Czarina Nicole Ong
The Office of the Special Prosecutor is asking the Sandiganbayan Third Division to withdraw one of the three graft charges it earlier filed against former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chief Efraim Genuino.
Efraim Genuino (FACEBOOK/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Genuino was earlier slapped with two counts in violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and one count in violation of Section 3(h), also of R.A. 3019 in connection with the misappropriation of P37 million worth of government funds for the training of swimmers who competed in the 2012 Olympics.
However, the prosecution stated in a manifestation with motion filed on October 18 that the amount covered in one of the charges for violation of Section 3(e) is redundant.
SB-16-CRM-0326 accused Genuino and other PAGCOR officials of confederating with Philippine Amateur Swimming Association Inc. (PASA) by causing the direct remittance of the five percent share of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) from the income of PAGCOR amounting to P9 million.
SB-16-CRM-0327, on the other hand, accused them for the remittance of five percent share of PSC from the income of PAGCOR amounting to P37,063,488.21 to TRACE College of TRACE Aquatic Center.
"An assiduous examination of the case records would show that the funds involved in SB-16-CRM-0326 amounting to P9 million is already included in the funds covered in SB-16-CRM-0327 in the amount of P37,063,488.21," the manifestation read.
"Notably, both Informations charge all the accused of violating Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019," it further clarified. "The narration of the ultimate facts of both Informations being that the accused conspired to give unwarranted benefit, preference and/or advantage to PASA, Navarra and SCT, although in SB-16-CRM-0326, TRACE College or TRACE Aquatic Center is not mentioned."