Graft complaints have been filed in the Philippines against suspended Porac, Pampanga Mayor Jaime Capil as well as other officials in regards to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) Lucky South 99.
This continues the crackdown on offshore operators following public backlash and a presidential edict for the closure of even legal operations by year-end.
The complaints include Capil, Vice Mayor Francis Laurence Tamayo, town Business Permit and Licensing Office OICE Emerald Vital and eight others.
Authorities are noticeably following up on their pledge to go after public officials who might have been involved in aspects of POGO setup and operations, with the latest detainees being charged with ‘undue haste in the approval of permits’ for Lucky South 99, from the period of 2021 to 2023, ‘despite blank and incomplete application forms’, notes the Philippine News Agency.
Officials also ‘failed to act on law enforcement reports on alleged criminal activities, including human trafficking, taking place in Lucky South 99,’ notes the agency.
Just this week, authorities also apprehended alleged POGO scam hub operator Lyu Dong, indirectly linked to Lucky South 99. The hub has led to multiple arrests, as the crackdown on illegal POGO operations continues, netting a series of Chinese individuals, as well as those of other nationalities, in the bid to eliminate the illegal offshore operations in the country.
