Tiger Resort Asia warns against dealing with Kazuo Okada’s team

Tiger Resort Asia Ltd (TRAL) has issued a statement warning the public not to do business with the group run by Kazuo Okada in relation to Okada Manila.

The Philippines.- The dispute over control of Okada Manila continues. Now, Tiger Resort Asia Ltd (TRAL), which owns 99.9 per cent of the shares of Okada Manila Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment Inc (TRLEI), has warned that it does not recognise the current board of directors made up of Kazuo Okada, Antonio Cojuangco and Dindo Espelette.

In the same statement, the company warned that “any transaction supposedly made on behalf of TRLEI, our subsidiary, by any of these individuals or their agents and representatives, will not be honoured or recognized.”

The company said that it had sued Kazuo Okada and that Japanese Courts had determined he had embezzled company funds.

On June 1, it was reported Kazuo Okada had taken back control of Okada Manila. TRLAI claimed that a group linked to the Japanese billionaire used brute force and intimidation to force legitimate officers to vacate the casino premises.

Shortly after, Kazuo Okada’s team released a statement denying it used force and claiming that the move was legal and in compliance with a Supreme Court ruling. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) deployed a team to monitor the situation, but Universal Entertainment Corp has accused the regulator of “biased participation” in the dispute.

PAGCOR denied acting in favour of Kazuo Okada and insisted it remained neutral in the case and complied with the legal and procedural rules applicable to court orders. Meanwhile, according to Okada’s new board, the casino complex continues to function normally.