Kazuo Okada, Antonio Cojuangco, Dindo Espeleta, and Atty. Florentino M. Herrera III have all entered a plea of not guilty to charges of grave coercion following their recent arrests in relation to the 31 May takeover of Philippines integrated resort Okada Manila, their spokesman has confirmed.
Mr Okada was arrested by Philippine National Police officers shortly after landing at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on 17 October. He stated at the time that he was happy to face the charges to prove his innocence.
“I am confident that the legal process within the Philippine courts system will vindicate us in all the cases filed against me and my business associates,” he said.
Mr Okada’s newly appointed Philippines spokesman, Atty. Rico Quicho, said in a Friday update that the group had now officially entered their plea of not guilty at their arraignment.
“Kazuo Okada and his group reiterate that they will face the allegation in a just and very honest way and fight until full justice is obtained,” Quicho said.
“The group remains confident that these grave coercion cases will be dismissed for utter failure of the prosecution to prove its charges with the quantum of evidence required in criminal cases, which is proof beyond reasonable doubt.
“These grave coercion cases would suffer dismissal just like the six other criminal complaints filed by the ousted Board of TRLEI/Divina Law Office for insufficiency of evidence and lack of merit.”
The Kazuo Okada group occupied Okada Manila for three months following their takeover before the Department of Justice ruled that they did not have the right to seize control, leading to the TRAL-backed board reclaiming the property in early September.
The TRAL-backed board later filed charges against Mr Okada and his group because they had prevented the legitimate members of the board from performing their duties, it said.
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