PAGCOR chairman calls for investigation of officials who helped POGOs gain licences

Senator Risa Hontiveros said she would call for a hearing on Alejandro Tengco’s allegations.

The Philippines.- Alejandro H. Tengco, chairman and CEO of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), has called for investigations into the involvement of former officials and intermediaries in supporting questionable applicants for Philippine offshore gaming licences. He suggested a former cabinet official had played a key role in gaining a licence for one operator.

Tengo said PAGCOR had reduced the number of offshore gaming licensees from 298 to 43 and said many licences were found to be ineligible and suspicious during the review process. Senator Risa Hontiveros said she would call for a hearing to address his allegations. She urged Tengco to personally attend and called for scrutiny of both legal and illegal gambling operators.

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Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has suggested that PAGCOR should have informed the Senate about the involvement of former officials in previous hearings.

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