GOV’T BUILDING This Jan. 14 photo shows what is believed to be an extension office of the local government of Porac, Pampanga, located a kilometer away from a Pogo hub raided by authorities early June. —contributed photo
ANGELES CITY, PAMPANGA, Philippines — Amid repeated claims by local officials that they were being denied entry into the recently raided compound of Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) Lucky South 99, the municipal government of Porac, Pampanga, had apparently maintained an extension office less than a kilometer away from the company’s 10-hectare hub.
This was based on a photograph seen by the Inquirer and later supported by on-site confirmations.
According to two sources privy to the raid, the signboard showing the logo and name of the “Municipality of Porac” was taken down from the building just hours after the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and Philippine National Police units searched the Lucky South compound on June 4 for alleged human trafficking, torture, prostitution and money scams.
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The Inquirer got a copy of the photo from a person involved in a dispute over portions of a 107-hectare property in the area.
Four adult children of businessman Ruperto Cruz have a pending case in a municipal trial court to recover the 10-ha lot sold to Whirlwind Corp., which then leased several compounds to Lucky South.
Two Chinese incorporators of Whirlwind—Xiang Tan and Jing Gu—are also incorporators of Lucky South 99 Group, as shown in documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Sought for comment on Saturday, Mayor Jaime Capil said in a text message: “Ala kami po extension office karin (We don’t have an extension office there).”
In the photograph taken on Jan. 14, 2024, a worker was seen cutting the grass in the yard. A truck was parked in the driveway.
Fenced compound
What is believed to be the local government unit’s (LGU) extension office is along a row of residences immediately past the second interior gate of the Grand Palazzo Royale, a check at the site showed.
A turn to the right leads to roads toward the three compounds of Lucky South. Every compound segregating Phases 1, 2 and 3 is fenced by concrete, steel gates and barbed wires.
The mayor’s denial prevented the Inquirer from seeking answers on why an extension office was there, what businesses or documents were being processed, regulated or monitored from there, or if he held office there.
In the first two hearings of the Pampanga provincial legislative board on June 14 and June 21, and a Senate hearing on June 26, Capil said he did not issue Lucky South a business permit this year because it did not comply with the requirements of the Bureau of Fire Protection.
According to him, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) did “not communicate” on the status of Lucky South’s license in the past five years.
However, documents assessed by Board Member Ananias Canlas Jr. during the first hearing showed that Capil issued permits from 2019 to 2023 based on a municipal council resolution that gave a letter of no objection to Lucky South’s activities as a business process outsourcing firm.
Capil further claimed that Lucky South denied his team an inspection at the request of then Pampanga police director Col. Levi Hope Basilio in August 2023 and March this year.
Quick approval
The mayor admitted not asserting entry to the compounds because that was Pagcor’s task.
In the third hearing on June 28, it was revealed that Lucky South’s application for a business permit in 2020 was approved in a matter of 45 minutes, as shown by a router slip scrutinized by Canlas.
The medical officer of Porac admitted administering COVID-19 vaccines to 200 Chinese nationals near the gate of one of the three compounds.
After inspecting several Lucky South buildings on June 24, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said he was recommending the suspension of Capil due to “several lapses” in the performance of his work as mayor.