Yes, PAGCOR must quit as a casino operator

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is the Philippine’s third largest contributor of revenue after the Tax and Customs Authority. It is a government owned and controlled corporation first established by Presidential Decree1067-A. PAGCOR entered in a contract with Philippine Casino Operators Corporation (PCOC) in operating the floating casino in the Manila Bay in 1977.

After the fire in 1979, PAGCOR shifted its operations to land-based casinos and entered into another contract with PCOC for the management of a casino at the Provident International Resources Corporation (PIRC) building on Imelda Avenue, Parañaque City.

Then under Presidential Decree 1869 in 1983, it was mandated as the sole government corporation to conduct and establish gaming pools and casinos. In 1986, it was reestablished by then President Corazon Aquino with New PAGCOR as its short name to help raise the government funds. In 2001, under Ephraim Genuino (appointed by GMA) PAGCOR operated 13 casinos and several VIP slot clubs in major cities across the country. It also regulated more than 180 bingo parlors as well as e-games cafes. In June 2007, RA 9487 was passed granting the state-run gaming firm another 25 years to regulate and operate games of chance, to issue licenses, and enter into joint venture, management, or investment agreements with private entities.

PAGCOR’s vision is not only to captivate customers with a world-class gaming and entertainment experience, improved infrastructure, more competitive facilities and a highly professionalized manpower but more so to be a pillar for national progress by instilling integrity as the backbone of its regulatory duties, investing in the education of Filipinos and promoting Philippine tourism and arts. But I have to admit I got lost in the last sentence since I really don’t see much of this social angle of PAGCOR.

Anyway, I remember what my father wrote (in 1987) about PAGCOR in his column entitled, “Dirty money and government morality”. He said that if Malacañang does not shut down PAGCOR and shutter the ten Casinos it has been operating for the past year and a half, the Senate will. Then Senate President Jovito Salonga sponsored a bill that would seek to prohibit the operation by the government of any casinos or gambling operations.

If only the Upper Chamber and the House of Representatives got together and passed this legislation, PAGCOR would have gone out of existence.

The sad part, he said, was that the government’s ‘blessing’ given to gambling in those authorized Casinos has been interpreted as laxity in its interpretation of whether gambling is immoral and illegal. This is why jueteng and other forms of vice have proliferated and continued to thrive under the protection of local politicians, cops and in many places, the military. So why should any of its subordinates be queasy about the evils of gambling when the administration itself runs gambling dens (albeit plush, air-conditioned, and chrome-plated)?

Gambling and casinos generate only dirty money – and worse, heartbreak, corruption, bad joss (as the Chinese would say) and bad karma.

The House of Representatives should really look into the recent issue on the pay-off accusation against PAGCOR Chairman Cristino Naguiat, Jr. It should be investigated on the grounds of whether Naguiat or his predecessor for that matter, Genuino violated the Anti-Graft Law and the Code of Ethical Conduct and Standards for public officials and employees. A violation would be detrimental to the “Daang Matuwid” initiatives of P-Noy. It is a fact that the expense that PAGCOR goes thru is our expense. It is the people’s money. For P-Noy to make true his promise of eradicating corruption in government, he should remove all entities that encourage corruption. Money is the root of all evils. Such is PAGCOR.

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The latest move of the prosecution in dropping five out of the eight Articles of Impeachment filed against Chief Justice Corona left questions hanging. Did the prosecution really present enough evidence to support a conviction of the Chief Justice for the charges under Articles 2, 3 and 7? Well, if true, then understandably why bother piling points if you have done enough already to win the game? Or did the Honorable Congressmen realized they were already spending so much of the taxpayers’ money on private prosecutors whose performance on national TV is more amusing that anything else? Or were they forced to drop the other Articles to save face and avoid further insults and ridicule from senator-judges? Is it true that the prosecution does not have enough evidence to support the other charges that were allegedly rushed with reckless imprudence in the hope that the Chief Justice would resign or that the evidence will come up during the trial?

Whatever reason prompted this strategy, it is certainly a relief for everybody. The prosecutors will no longer need to plead for liberality every time they are caught unprepared, or cover their ears and risk detention for contempt. The technicality-conscious defense counsel could also rest from having to object every time a question is asked. The blood pressures of senator-judges would settle to normal levels. So congratulations to the prosecution for presenting its case in less than two months. As correctly observed, if the evidence presented on the more intriguing charges will not be enough to convict the Chief Justice, no evidence on the less important articles would. I also wish the defense all the luck in trying to convince the senator-judges that the prosecution was not able to prove an impeachable offense. With a 2-week break, the senator-judges would certainly return refreshed and healthy. And for the public, we are now assured that an end to this divisive soap opera is forthcoming.

Indeed, the last incident involving the lawyer who did not want to listen to the senator-judge heightened the drama in what was initially thought to be a very formal proceeding. I asked a friend if it was proper for a senator-judge to berate a lawyer during trial and for a lawyer to cover his ears while a judge is talking. My friend said – “parehong may tama” without further elucidation. Unfortunately for the private prosecutor, it is the impeachment court that wields the power to penalize. Good luck sir, just enjoy the sashimi and may you have patience in listening to the speeches of the lady senator-judge in your detention room. But I just wonder. Will this not constitute a cruel and inhumane punishment prescribed by the Constitution?

Anyway, the earlier this impeachment proceeding is done, the better for the Philippines. Congress can go back to its legislative agenda, the Supreme Court could focus on its rising case backlogs, and Juan could turn off his TV and focus on his work from 2 to 6 in the afternoon.

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Speaking of lawyers, I would like to congratulate the new batch of 1,913 who passed the 2011 Bar Examinations. Special mention goes to San Beda College Manila for its 96.55% passing percentage. Stealing the limelight is 64-year old Rodolfo Aquino who placed number 10. Undeniably, no one is too old to practice law. The top five bar passers are: Raoul Atadero ( 1st place-ADMU), Luz Bolong ( 2nd place-ADMU), Cherry Rafal-Roble (3rd place – Arellano University), Rosemil ( 4th place – Notre Dame University) and Christian Gonzales ( 5th place – UST).

I would also like to congratulate the new physicians who passed the Physician Board Exams. I am prouder because one of them is my nephew, Miguel David Ramos. Remember the lone survivor of that fire tragedy that hit the Cabiao Community Center in Nueva Ecija in February 2010? Yes, a miracle happened! Perhaps the reason why Miguel survived was because he still has a mission to fulfill - to serve his fellowmen. The top 5 passers are: Ronald Ceriales (1st place-Our Lady of Fatima University), Jon Velasco (2nd place-Cebu Institute of Medicine), Miguel David Ramos (3rd place-St. Luke’s College of Medicine), Von Andre Medina (4th place-University of Perpetual Help) and Irvin Galvan ( 5th place-Our Lady of Fatima University).

May all of you exercise your respective professions in strict observance of your solemn oath and be instruments of change for the good of the country.