IN a significant move to uphold integrity within public service, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that officially includes all DOJ officials and employees in the list of individuals banned from entering casinos.
This landmark agreement, signed on Monday, marks the first time a government agency has formally partnered with the state gaming regulatory firm to enforce gambling prohibitions among its ranks. Pagcor chair and CEO Alejandro Tengco highlighted that this initiative aims to bolster the existing restrictions, as currently, only about 600,000 names are on the restricted list out of an estimated 4.5 million government officials and personnel nationwide.
The MOA aligns with Presidential Decree No. 1869, which explicitly prohibits all government officials and employees from gambling in casinos.
This prohibition gained renewed attention following a Senate investigation into a flood control scam last September. During the hearings, Senator Panfilo Lacson revealed that several Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials implicated in the anomalous projects had incurred substantial losses, exceeding P950 million, with total transactions surpassing P1 billion in casinos. Such revelations underscored the critical need for stricter enforcement of the existing ban.
Pagcor has been actively working to prevent banned individuals from gambling, with Tengco noting that the agency has voided P310 million in winnings for bettors whose identities were found on the restricted list.
The inclusion of the DOJ’s approximately 60,000 employees, encompassing those in its main offices and various component agencies, represents a substantial expansion of this enforcement effort. This collaboration between the DOJ and Pagcor signifies a strong commitment to preventing potential corruption and maintaining the public’s trust in government institutions.
