GGRAsia – Court denies Okada quashing bid on coercion: Universal

Court denies Okada quashing bid on coercion: Universal

Oct 24, 2022 Newsdesk Latest News, Philippines, Top of the deck

Japan’s Universal Entertainment Corp, the founding parent of the Okada Manila casino resort in the Philippines, said in a press release issued on Friday that a Manila court had denied an attempt by the group’s ousted founder, Kazuo Okada, to quash “grave coercion” and other charges against him, relating to his May 31 physical takeover of the gaming venue.

The release said the decision of Metropolitan Trial Court of Paranaque Branch 91 was dated October 18.

“All told, the information in this case is sufficient, and the motion to quash in the omnibus motion of the accused must necessarily fail,” Universal Entertainment cited the judge’s resolution as saying.

The resolution added: “Considering that the allegations were sufficiently subscribed against the accused in this case, the next logical step for this court is to ascertain the veracity of said allegations in a full-blown trial to determine whether or not the accused are guilty of the offense charged in this case.”

The press release from Universal Entertainment said the Branch 91 court had set Mr Okada’s arraignment and pre-trial hearing for October 28. Another court said to be involved in the matters – Metropolitan Trial Court of Paranaque Branch 90 – has set arraignment and pre-trial hearings for Mr Okada on November 7 and December 5, respectively, stated Universal Entertainment’s update.

Philippine police arrested Mr Okada on October 17 at Manila’s airport when he landed after a flight from Japan. The Japanese businessman was released on bail on the same day, according to a statement sent to GGRAsia by his representatives.

Mr Okada had flown to the Philippines to “fight the grave coercion charges” filed by the country’s Department of Justice. The charges are said to involve him and associates Antonio Cojuangco, Dindo Espeleta, and legal counsel Binky Herrera.

Universal Entertainment had said in a September 4 statement that it had taken back physical control of Okada Manila, after the country’s gaming regulator ordered Mr Okada’s side to vacate the casino resort.