PAGCOR execs 'bribed' by casino syndicate leader — solon

Some officials of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) allegedly received bribes from the leader of a syndicate who was caught operating in a government casino, an opposition lawmaker said on Tuesday. Deputy Minority Leader and Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay also noted that Singaporean casino syndicate leader Ben Lui was allowed to leave the country despite a hold departure order issued against him. During a House justice committee hearing on Tuesday morning, Magsaysay claimed that some PAGCOR branch managers attended parties at the condominium unit of Lui in Manila, where the officials were allegedly handed bribes. “This is their [the syndicate’s members] way of bribing the PAGCOR officials so they [PAGCOR officials] would be lenient on him," she said. The panel is investigating how Lui, along with three other members of the syndicate, managed to flee the Philippines despite being charged with estafa and being barred from leaving the country. Magsaysay said she received the information from two sources close to Lui—his girlfriend and his right-hand man. However, the lawmaker said her two sources, who supposedly personally handed the bribes to the PAGCOR executives, are afraid to come out in public to identify the officials for fear of their safety. She added that some PAGCOR personnel allegedly also received a “balato" (a share of a person’s winnings) whenever Lui wins games in local casinos. The government supposedly lost P150 million due to operations of the Singaporean syndicate in three government casinos in Metro Manila. - VVP, GMA News