Pres. Duterte to gambling industry: Shun graft and corruption

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PCOO PHOTO)

MANILA — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Thursday, January 11, called on officials and employees of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) as well as gambling licensees in the country not to engage in graft and corruption.

In his speech during a PAGCOR event at the Manila Hotel, President Duterte commended the gambling industry for boosting the country’s economy but reminded them to stay away from corruption.

“I can give you the assurance, we welcome you. I thank you for the income that we are earning from the gambling community,” Duterte said.

“I want to stress again the point that you can come in, expand, do business peacefully but please avoid graft and corruption whether you are the giver or the receiver,” he added.

He reiterated that he would not show mercy to corrupt government officials and encouraged businessmen to report them either directly to him or to his officials or through the Citizens’ Complaint Hotline 8888.

“Please do not give them the luxury of extortion. All you have to do is just you can call anybody in government… And I will take care of it,” he said.

“All I have to do is for you to cooperate and I said do not give in to extortionist. Be it the police, the BIR, Customs, kasi ‘pag malaman ko, I’ll make it hard for you,” he added.

He noted that corruption in government must be stopped because it was pulling the country down.

As part of his continuing efforts to rid the government of corruption, the Chief Executive announced his plan to fire more government officials and policemen in the coming days.

“I am in the thick of firing people. I intend to fire another maybe 70 or 49 policemen and three generals for corruption,” he said adding that he might be spending his remaining four years in cleaning up corruption in government.

Present during the event were PAGCOR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrea Domingo, President and Chief Operations Alfredo Lim and other officials as well as casino magnates like Enrique Razon and Dennis Uy.