Graft charges filed vs. Porac mayor, others over raided POGO

Manila: Graft complaints were filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) Wednesday against suspended Porac, Pampanga mayor Jaime Capil, along with other local officials, by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) over their alleged part in illegal activities in their area. Aside from Capil, the other respondents were Vice Mayor Francis Laurence Tamayo, town Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) OIC Emerald Vital, and Sangguniang Bayan members Rohner Buan, Rafael Canlapan, Adrian Carreon, Regin Clarete, Essel Joy David, Hilario Dimalanta, Michelle Santos, and John Nuevy Venzon, the DOJ said. They were accused of violating Section 3(e), (f), and (j) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Bulacan Provincial Prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo Jr. said the case was a result of a case build-up and coordinating conference among the PAOCC, the DOJ, and the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and Inter-Agency Council Ag ainst Trafficking. The charges were filed over the operations of Lucky South 99, an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO), which authorities said was engaged in cyber scam operations in Central Luzon. The respondents were charged with undue haste in the approval of the permits for the firm for 2021 to 2023 despite blank and incomplete application forms. The local officials also failed to act on law enforcement reports on alleged criminal activities, including human trafficking, taking place in Lucky South 99. Source: Philippines News Agency