The Paranaque Regional Trial Court has ordered the arrest of Kazuo Okada, Antonio O. Cojuangco and 11 others for allegedly taking money from Okada Manila when they took over control of the integrated casino resort last year.
Paranaque Regional Trial Court Branch 274 Presiding Judge Hon. Regina Paz A. Ramos-Chavez ordered the issuance of the warrants of arrest against Okada, Cojuangco, Dindo Espeleta, and 10 others for qualified theft.
Judge Ramos-Chavez denied their motions to suspend or defer the criminal proceedings against all of the accused, explaining that an appeal before the Justice Secretary does not hold in abeyance the proceeding before the trial court pursuant to National Prosecution Service Rule on Appeal.
To recall, Okada and Cojuangco’s group were accused by Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment Inc. (TRLEI) of qualified theft after allegedly taking about P500 million from the casino cage of Okada Manila in 2022.
The Okada group filed separate motions to suspend the court proceedings for the qualified theft cases and to quash the case.
However, the Paranaque court denied the motions and decided to proceed with the case, explaining in its order that, “there is probable cause for the issuance of warrant of arrest against all the accused ... The counter-allegations of the accused, being evidentiary in nature, are best threshed-out in a full blown trial."