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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Gov't can't collect P2.2-B receivables from POGO; Tengco explains why

Gov't can't collect P2.2-B receivables from POGO; Tengco explains why

Published Aug 14, 2023 11:00 am

At A Glance

  • Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) Chairman Alejandro Tengco admitted before congressmen that they have no way to collect P2.2 billion worth of receivables from a closed-down Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO). 

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Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) Chairman Alejandro Tengco (Screenshot from YouTube)

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) Chairman Alejandro Tengco admitted before congressmen that they have no way to collect P2.2 billion worth of receivables from a closed-down Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO).

Tengco was on hand during the budget deliberation of Pagcor Monday, Aug.14, before the House Committee on Appropriations.

In his interpellation of Tengco, House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan asked Tengco about the status of the P2.2-billion receivables of the agency based on the report of the Commission on Audit (COA).

The Pagcor chief told Libanan that the amount came up during the previous Duterte administration but was not collected.

“This was a P2.2 billion receivables from a POGO that was licensed during the last administration. And during the pandemic, nawala na lang po parang bula iyong POGO (the POGO simply vanished), it closed shop, and ran away,” Tengco said.

According to Tengco, he had previously told COA last month that Pagcor could no longer collect the money.

“I had manifested to the supervisor of COA in Pagcor that there is no way we can collect that said P2.2 billion anymore...Wala na po talagang magagawa dahil hindi na po mahahabol (There's really nothing else to do since we can't run after them).”

He narrated to the appropriations panel: “Hinanap po lahat nung mga officers nung licensee na yun at lumabas nga po sa aming imbestigasyon na matapos silang magsara ay nakaalis na. There are no local incorporators po dun sa nasabing licensee na yun.”

(We looked for all the officers of that particular licensee and it was learned from our investigation that after they closed down, they subsequently left. There were no local incorporators in that licensee.)

He said the licensee operated only for eight months.

Tengco further told the panel that Pagcor has put all overseas gaming licensees on probationary status since Aug. 1. They were told to reapply by Sept 15.

“We are really trying our best to be able to make sure that all our licensees would follow all the rules and regulations na meron po ang (that we have at) Pagcor...Sunod-sunod na rin po ang raid namin sa mga illegal operators (We've carried out successive raids against illegal operators),” he said.

This agency has suspended the operations of six licensees and canceled five others due to non-compliance with the rules and regulations or having deficiencies this year.

Related Tags

marcelino libanan PAGCOR Alejandro Tengco 4Ps party-list
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