Metro Manila, Philippines — The Ombudsman has suspended 11 officials of Porac, Pampanga for gross neglect of duty over an alleged illegal offshore gaming operation.
The complaint stemmed from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), which flagged the officials for enabling Lucky South 99, a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) linked to crimes.
The following have been preventively suspended until the termination of the case, but not more than six months, without pay:
+ Mayor Jaime Capil
+ Vice Mayor Francis Laurence Tamayo
+ Emerald Vital, licensing assistant
+ Rohner Buan, Sangguniang Kabataan member
+ Rafael Canlapan, Sangguniang Kabataan member
+ Adrian Carreon, Sangguniang Kabataan member
+ Regin Clarete, Sangguniang Kabataan member
+ Essel Joy David, Sangguniang Kabataan member
+ Hilario Dimalanta, Sangguniang Kabataan member
+ Michelle Santos, Sangguniang Kabataan member
+ John Nuevy Venzon, Sangguniang Kabataan member
“In case of delay in the disposition of the case due to the fault, negligence or any cause attributable to the respondents, the period of such delay shall not be counted in computing the period of the preventive suspension,” stated the order, signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires and released Oct. 9.
The DILG said Capil failed to scrutinize the documents of Lucky South 99 when it applied for business permits.
It said Capil issued a business permit to Lucky South 99 to operate as a POGO even if its registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission classified it as engaging in business process outsourcing.
He also supposedly failed to revoke the POGO hub business permit after its license with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation lapsed; and that he did not act on the reports of criminal activities inside Lucky South 99.
Meanwhile, the other officials “failed to exercise legislative oversight for the welfare of Porac LGU and its inhabitants by failing to enact an ordinance or resolution intended to prevent and suppress the commission of criminal activities within Lucky South 99’s premises,” the Ombudsman said.
In June, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission raided Lucky South 99 for potential violation of illegal online gambling.
Authorities rescued over 200 people, including foreign nationals.
One of Lucky South 99’s officials, Cassandra Li Ong, is facing a congressional inquiry on POGO-linked crimes.
