THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has revealed that a former high-ranking government official tried to facilitate the grant of gaming licenses to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hubs engaged in illegal activities.
Pagcor chair and CEO Al Tengco, however, did not name the official, saying only that it was a former Cabinet member.
“[We] will reveal in the proper forum the identity of the former Cabinet member who had been lobbying for the illegal POGOs, as well as the circumstances that led to the proliferation of illegal and criminal offshore gaming operations,” Tengco said.
The Pagcor chair also urged authorities to investigate the role of former officials in granting licenses to POGO applicants “with dubious backgrounds.”
“As a regulator, it is our mandate to ensure that only those with valid licenses are allowed to operate all forms of gambling and gaming activities, whether these are land-based casinos or online platforms,” he said.
“We are also ready to reveal the roles of other controversial individuals behind these criminal POGO enterprises,” Tengco added.
