Coming off a turbulent 2023, Bren Esports founder Bernard “Bren” Chong started the new year strong with back-to-back victories.
Coming off a turbulent 2023, Bren Esports founder Bernard “Bren” Chong started the new year strong with back-to-back victories.
Chong scored a legal victory after the Department of Justice junked the falsification charges filed by the National Bureau of Investigation for lack of probable cause on Wednesday, January 31, days after his team was recognized by the Philippine Sportswriters Association annual awards night on January 29.
In a 27-page decision approved by Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento the Justice department found no probable cause to file a case against Chong.
“After a careful and judicious evaluation of the records and evidence presented in this case, it is the stern opinion of the undersigned panel of prosecutors that no probable cause exists against the respondents for the charges of Falsification of Commercial Documents,” the order read.
May last year, the NBI filed a case against Chong and several personnel of Brenterprise International Inc. for alleged printing of fraudulent receipts, however, it was decided that it was too general and the elements of the crime of falsification are lacking in the evidence submitted by the NBI-AOCTCD.
With respect to the charge of printing fraudulent receipts or sales invoices under the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), the prosecutors said there is no authorization from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner to file a case.
“There is no authorization from the BIR Commissioner as to the filing of the case hence, dismissible. The fact that it is being related to the Cyber Criminal Law is of no moment since the original charge is for NIRC violation,” the prosecutors added.
[Related: Drug charges against Bren Esports CEO dropped, arrest warrant revoked]
Chong was earlier cleared of drug smuggling charges in 2023.
Bren Esports recently received a Special Citation Award in recognition of the players’ feat at the M5 World Championship from San Miguel Corp. during the 2023 Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night held at the Diamond Hotel Manila.