DOJ can’t oppose POGO,OSG lawyer for PAGCOR – Angara
By Nidz Godino
“The position of the Justice secretary, as enunciated to me, is that they must document and be legal with PAGCOR because that is the current policy of the government and by all means there should be crackdown on all illegal POGOs,” Senator Sonny Angara defending Department of Justice (DOJ) budget said DOJ cannot make firm stand against Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) as its attached agencies are lawyering for Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
During Senate budget deliberations, Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III asked DOJ’s ‘personal or institutional’ stand on the matter following Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s pronouncement that the Philippines must do away with POGOs.
“So I suppose that covers Bureau of Immigration because they are sensitive agency in this respect, NBI, among others,” he stressed.
Pimentel then is sensing difference in the positions of Finance and Justice secretaries.
“Si DOF, reverse policy make them all illegal…ang ating DOJ secretary is we can afford to retain policy except crackdown on illegal,” the minority leader said.
Angara explained there are agencies under DOJ, particularly Office of the Solicitor General and Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, which “lawyer” for PAGCOR , the body that regulates all gambling activities in the country, including POGO.
“They have to respect current policy of the government…I suppose, in that sense, they are just implementing whatever policy government has with respect to gaming and gambling,” he said.
Angara said Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin informed him that executive department is waiting for conclusion of Senate investigations on POGOs as they want to hear recommendations of committees on the matter.
Pimentel pointed out executive department can reverse existing policy and render the investigations moot and academic.
But Angara said executive department is being “respectful and deferential” to the Senate as there is also an existing law on taxing POGOs.
ISKUP! 