The Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has announced an investigation into casinos following revelations that former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers allegedly laundered billions of pesos through gaming establishments while orchestrating fraudulent flood control projects in Bulacan Province.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson recently disclosed that the group, dubbed the “Bulacan Group of Contractors,” conducted suspicious transactions totaling over PHP1 billion ($18.3 million) across 13 casinos in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Pampanga between 2023 and 2025. The officials reportedly lost nearly PHP950 million ($17.4 million) during their casino activities.
“This is not mere luck. It bears the hallmarks of a money laundering scheme,” Lacson said, citing validated documents from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). The senator revealed that five key figures used aliases during their casino visits, allegedly converting cash to chips, played, and later cashed out to declare the proceeds as legitimate gambling winnings.
AMLC Executive Director Matthew David confirmed that the agency would investigate the scheme, explaining that launderers “buy chips and then engage in minimal play, sometimes no play at all” before cashing out to present funds as legitimate winnings. He added that the council would also examine relatives and associates of the accused officials, noting that money laundering often extends to family members.
The scandal stems from investigations into irregular flood control projects in Bulacan, where residents remain flooded despite billions being allocated for infrastructure improvements. One project worth PHP92.58 million ($1.7 million) claimed 46 percent completion just two days after receiving a notice to proceed, with contractors billing nearly half the project cost despite minimal actual progress.
Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) launched a separate probe into fake driver’s licenses allegedly used by the Bulacan Group of Contractors to enter casinos. LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said that dismissed DPWH-Bulacan engineers face investigation for using fraudulent identification documents.
The LTO has issued 90-day preventive suspensions against the group for alleged willful misrepresentation and falsification of documents. Mendoza said the probe aims to identify the supplier of fake IDs and determine whether authentic licenses should be permanently revoked.
Officials reportedly continued visiting casinos even after government investigations began, with one last seen at a gaming establishment on September 1st, 2025, while Senate hearings were ongoing. The AMLC has submitted the officials’ names for asset freezing and will request Court of Appeals freeze orders on their amassed wealth.
