PAGCOR chief denies being fired

After President Rodrigo Duterte announced the firing of several gaming officials; chief Andrea Domingo denied being among them.

Philippines.- Many rumours emerged in the Philippines after President Rodrigo Duterte announced that he would fire several gaming officials over power abuse claims. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairwoman Andrea Domingo has just denied she may be included among them and even tried to unlink the body from the controversy.

Ms Domingo even said that Duterte didn’t even name PAGCOR nor the officials fired and suggested he might have been talking about officials in the freeports, which issue licences in the Philippines as well. That might mean the officials fired worked at the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB); the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone (APECO); or the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).

Two gaming officials were fired by President Rodrigo Duterte himself after they were linked to corrupt activities. Both had been accused of abusing their licensing power and angered the chief of state.

“I have fired and will fire tomorrow some more people,” Duterte said to news outlet The Philippine Star and added: “When you are granted this free port… and you are beginning to abuse by issuing too many franchises of gambling. It is in the franchise, but everything goes under a regulation. It is rightful to issue permits within your territory, but when you begin to issue gambling permits outside of your territory.”