Manila court dismisses case against Kazuo Okada for falsifying documents

September 16, 2022 Philippines Crime & Legal

A Philippines court has dismissed a motion brought against Kazuo Okada and his representatives for falsifying records due to a lack of evidence.

According to a resolution issued on 8 September 2022 and made public this week, the Office of the City Prosecutor of Parañaque City dismissed the complaint – filed by Tiger Resorts, Leisure and Entertainment Inc (TRLEI) director Hajime Tokuda – against Mr Okada, Dindo Espeleta, Maximo Modesto, Josel C. Flores, Tetsuya Yokota and Hiroshi Kawamura, citing “no probable cause to indict the respondents for the crimes filed against them.”

The resolution states: “Having ruled that the respondents did not falsify the subject Secretary’s Certificate, the charges for the use of Falsified Documents and/or Other Deceits must also be dismissed without further elaboration and explanation.

“Wherefore, the premises considered, it is most respectfully recommended that instant cases be dismissed for insufficiency of evidence.”

The case is one of a number of legal actions brought about in recent months by both factions in an intra-corporate dispute over control of Philippines integrated resort Okada Manila.

As reported by IAG, a group led by Kazuo Okada forcibly took control of Okada Manila in late May in response to a Status Quo Ante Order (SQAO) issued by the Supreme Court demanding the board of TRLEI be restored to its composition in 2017, before the dispute between Universal and Mr Okada that led to him being frozen out.

The TRAL-backed board then regained control earlier this month after PAGCOR issued the Kazuo Okada-led board of TRLEI with a “cease and desist” order and directed them to vacate the casino at Okada Manila in order to reinstate the previous board.

Commenting on his recent legal win, Mr Okada said, “Our opponents can continue to come up with trumped up charges like this against us but we will also continue to uphold our right to defend ourselves because the truth is on our side.”