SENATE President Francis “Chiz” Escudero and two other senators yesterday urged the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) to identify the former Cabinet official that agency chairman Alejandro Tengco said tried to lobby for the grant of gaming licenses to some illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) that were recently raided by authorities.
Tengco said on Saturday he will did not identify the official in the “proper forum.”
Escudero said, “Pagcor should name the official! If not, the Committee chaired and headed by Sens. Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatchalian should unmask this official so that not all `former high ranking Cabinet officials’ will be looked upon with suspicion and find out if he/she violated any laws.”
Senator Joel Villanueva echoed the call, adding the public has the right to know the identity of the former Cabinet official.
He said government is not in the show business so there is no need to come out with a “blind item.”
Villanueva also said Tengco’s revelation should all the more provide reason to permanently ban POGOs in the country.
“They have infiltrated not only the business and gaming industries but also our government, allegedly with local and even high-ranking officials serving as their protectors.
Our duty as public servants is not to protect these illegal activities, but to put our people’s welfare as our main priority,” he added.
Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III also urged Tengco to identify now the said ex-Cabinet official.
“To be fair to all former Cabinet members, Pagcor should reveal the identity of this person, also so that he or she can defend self,” he said.
Earlier, the Supreme Court through the Office of the Court Administrator started investigating allegations that the influence of illegal POGOs may have reached the judiciary.
Gatchalian, who along with Hontiveros is leading the probe on a POGO facility in Bamban, Tarlac raided by the authorities last March, said illegal offshore gaming operators might have insiders not just in law enforcement agencies but even in the judiciary, who tip them on any planned operation by authorities.
Gatchalian said authorities had expected to catch around 1,000 individuals, including foreigners, inside the POGO facility in Porac, Pampanga that was raided by the authorities last month but was not able to do so due to a supposed leak in information.
