Alvarez wants casinos to get legislative franchises instead of Pagcor licenses
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (Photo from his Facebook page)
Update
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez proposed on Wednesday amending the charter of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to remove its regulatory functions over casinos which then be required to obtain legislative franchises instead.
Alvarez made this suggestion as three House of Representatives committees – on tourism, public order and safety, and games and amusement – conducted joint inquiry into the attack by Jessie Javier Carlos at Resorts World Manila that resulted in 38 fatalities, including the lone gunman.
Ilocos Norte Rep. Rudy Fariñas, the majority leader, said he had been instructed by Alvarez to draft a bill to amend Republic Act 9487, which extended the corporate life of the state-run gaming firm by 25 years and amended the Pagcor chapter or Presidential Decree 1869.
The Presidential Decree gave Pagcor the power to regulate, as well as issue licenses and franchises to all games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers, particularly casino gaming in the country.
Congress passed Republic Act 9487 in 2007 that proposed the following amendments to the Pagcor charter:
-Pagcor can enter into agreements, including joint venture, with any person, firm, association or corporation;
-requirement to obtain consent of the local government authority that has territorial jurisdiction over the area chosen as site for any of Pagcor’s operations;
-exclusion of jai alai from Pagcor operations; and
-delimitation of regulatory authority and power over gaming activities covered by other existing franchises, regulatory bodies or special laws.
“By a presidential decree, the power was delegated to Pagcor to have the sole authority to authorize licenses and regulate gambling. That should not be allowed. That should only be a congressional grant of license,” Fariñas said.
In the House, its legislative franchises committee has jurisdiction over matters directly and principally relating to the grant, amendment, extension, or revocation of franchises.
The House held the hearing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, just across Resorts World Manila.
The hearing was chaired by the heads of the three committees: Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting (games and amusements), Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres Gomez (tourism), and Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop (public order and safety).
During the casino attack last Friday midnight, the gunman barged into the casino carrying an M4 carbine and fired shots.
READ: Resorts World gunman identified as Jessie Javier Carlos, a Filipino
He went on to torch casino tables and steal P113.1-million worth of casino chips.
READ: Security video shows methodical gunman in Resorts World attack
As security personnel went after him, Carlos holed himself up inside a hotel room in Resorts World, where he set fire to himself before shooting himself in the mouth.
The police have deemed the attack as a robbery instead of a terrorist act even though the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.
Carlos, a former tax specialist at the Department of Finance, was dismissed by the Ombudsman for alleged ill-gotten wealth and had a forfeiture case before the Manila Regional Trial Court.
READ: DOF: Resorts World gunman dismissed for alleged graft, corruption
The police described him as a gambling addict who was banned from all casinos and was deep in debt before he carried out the attack.
READ: Deep in debt, Resorts World gunman sold off properties
His parents have apologized to the victims, saying their son was a kind man but was hooked on gambling.
READ: Parents of gunman in Resorts World attack ask for forgiveness
The police decried Resort World’s failure to implement its security plan, adding that there was only one security guard posted at the entrance for the graveyard shift at the time of the attack. /atm/ac
READ: PNP finds gross security lapses at Resorts World
