Porac mayor dismissed over alleged gaming links

Jaime Capil was found guilty of gross neglect of duty for failing to stop the operation of an offshore gaming operator hub.

The Philippines.- Jaime Capil has been dismissed as mayor of Porac, Pampanga, for not stopping the operations of Lucky South 99, an illegal offshore gaming operator. In a resolution dated April 3, the Office of the Ombudsman found Capil guilty of gross neglect of duty and dismissed him from service, cancelling his government service eligibility and retirement benefits and imposing perpetual disqualification from reemployment in the government.

In a statement issued shortly after the resolution, Capil said he plans to appeal the decision and continue his campaign for re-election on May 12. The Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the administrative charges against 10 others, including vice mayor Francis Laurence Tamayo and several councillors, due to lack of evidence.

Lucky South 99 was raided last June by agents from the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). During the operation, 207 workers, including from China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, were arrested.

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