A SUPREME Court decision ruled in favor of former Philippine Sports Commission chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez, acquitting him in a graft charge in relation to the training of the Philippine national swimming team several years ago.
The SC second division reversed a Sandiganbayan decision affirming the conviction of Ramirez, former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation chairman Efraim Genuino and president Rafael Francisco over the illegal transfer of P37 million to the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA).
Ramirez appealed the decision, saying aside that the graft charge didn’t prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
The graft case stemmed from Pagcor’s release of P37,063,488.21 of public funds directly to the PASA for 18 months during the first term of Ramirez as PSC chairman in 2008 and 2009, a violation, the prosecution claimed, of Section 26 of Republic Act 6847 that states “five percent of the gross income of Pagcor should be automatically remitted to the PSC.”
Ramirez said he had no knowledge of Pagcor’s release of funds directly to PASA, and didn’t consent to it. He argued that the direct funding to the national sports association were deductible from the government gaming corporation’s operational expense and not from the PSC’s five-percent gross share from the Pagcor’s gross monthly income.
Under the SC resolution, Pagcor’s direct release of funds to PASA was a unilateral decision of Pagcor which was authorized by its board. It also said Ramirez didn’t give any benefit to PASA at the expense of other athletes or NSAs.
The SC also said the funds deducted from PSC’s five-percent share from Pagcor was returned through offsetting.
Ramirez served the PSC from 2005 to 2009 under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and again from 2016 to 2022 under Rodrigo Duterte. During his term, the Philippines won the overall title in the Southeast Asian Games for the first time in 2005, a feat that was repeated in 2019.
Hidilyn Diaz also won a gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics under Ramirez’s term as PSC chairman.
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