Online gambling firms shut down

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte has ordered the closure of all online gambling firms, saying the government is not getting proper taxes from their operations.

According to Duterte, the government also does not generate revenue from bets collected from other countries.

“Imagine this… gambling here is taxable, but they are accepting bets outside of the country, which is not. And whatever contraband or gadget or computer, malinis ‘yun (it’s clean). They did not have taxes. They used that for several years,” he added.

Duterte revealed corruption was also involved in the grant of gaming licensees.

“The one who gets appointed to PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority), he gets about P300 billion selling the umbrella-type of license,” the President said.

“It’s good that I learned about it,” he added.

Duterte said he had not appointed anyone to PEZA because he was still looking for an “honest man.”

“I was worried about putting somebody there who is corrupt,” the President said.

During the presentation of mother-volunteers in community work initiated by Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda in Clark Freeport, Duterte said he had wanted the current PEZA head arrested but the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) pointed out to him that there was no case yet to justify it.

While Duterte did not mention any name, it was former PEZA deputy director general for finance and administration Justo Porfirio Yusingco who assumed the post as officer-in-charge of the agency upon the resignation of Lilia de Lima effective last June 30.

Duterte expressed his displeasure over online gambling immediately after assuming the presidency last June 30.

“Online gambling must stop,” Duterte said during his first Cabinet meeting in Malacañang.

“There is no way for the government to collect taxes there,” he added.

Early this month, Duterte ordered the arrest of Chinese gaming operator Jack Lam, who was accused of bribing officials to secure the release of more than 1,300 undocumented Chinese nationals working for him.

Duterte also wants Lam’s assets sequestered, saying the gaming tycoon has been cheating on his taxes.

Two of Duterte’s fraternity brothers at the immigration bureau – deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles – were dismissed after they were accused of extorting P30 million from Lam.

Duterte, Argosino and Robles are members of the San Beda College of Law’s Lex Talionis Fraternitas Inc.

Meanwhile, the lawyer-wife of retired police general Marcelo Garbo Jr. is among those defending Lam, it was learned yesterday.

Records show that Lam is being represented by Garbo Law Offices, whose senior partner is Garbo’s wife Rosalinda.

Garbo was among the five alleged narco-generals identified by Duterte. He retired from the Philippine National Police as deputy director general in March this year. – Alexis Romero, Ding Cervantes, Delon Porcalla