Duterte’s olive branch?
Macau’s gaming regulator has been trying to determine the whereabouts of fugitive junket operator Jack Lam, who left the Philippines November 29 after an alleged illegal online casino was uncovered at his Fontana Casino and more than 1,300 workers were arrested. Lam is now wanted by the Philippine government for alleged bribery and economic sabotage.
According to GGRAsia, the charges were filed after police uncovered the online casino operating out of Lam’s gaming hall at the Fontana Hot Spring Leisure Parks at Clark. The casino was then closed, along with the Jimei Group’s Fort Ilocandia Hotel and Casino in Laoag City.
Lam allegedly offered bribes to high-ranking government officials. Among those he reportedly approached were Philippine Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre and Andrea Domingo, head of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., the country’s regulatory agency. Aguirre has said he will not personally pursue legal action against Lam, as it would be hard to prove the alleged bribery attempt. But he went on to dismiss two officers of the Bureau of Immigration implicated in an alleged P50 million extortion plot against Lam. BI Intelligence Division Chief Charles Calima Jr. and Technical Assistant for Intelligence Edward Chan were informed of the terminations in a letter that said, “You are no longer required to report for work effective immediately,” according to the Manila Standard. Both denied the accusations.
Two deputy commissioners are also alleged to have taken money from Lam’s organization to help release those who were arrested. Michael Robles and Al Argosino said they accepted the money as part of an investigation, and claim they have been framed.
“We took the money as evidence of corruption,” said Argosino at a news conference, where the men presented P30 million (US$600,000) in cash, allegedly part of the P48 million in bribe money.
“Deputy Commissioner Robles discovered the only living evidence against Jack Lam, that there are payoffs in the Bureau of Immigration,” declared Argosino. “We will never be instrumental to any attempts that would prevent the Duterte administration from pursuing its reforms.
“We may be new as public officers,” he said, “but our integrity is intact.”
Meanwhile, according to an email sent by PAGCOR to GGRAsia, after Lam’s arrest warranted was issued, the gaming tycoon was “unreachable.”
In a surprise development, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told reporters that Lam is free to return and conduct business in the country if he agrees to pay higher taxes.
“Because he has offered to come back I said, on the condition that he lets go of the original contract that lets him enjoy only 1 percent. It should be uniform to all,” Duterte told the Philippine Star newspaper. “He only pays 1 percent, but the rest of the guys there are paying 10 percent.”
A spokesperson from China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry weighed in, saying Chinese authorities would take action to assist the arrestees, who have been described as Chinese nationals.
Lam’s certificate of registration and tax exemption for the 300-hectare (741-acre) casino has been suspended by the Clark Development Corp.
