In a recent Senate Committee on Games and Amusement hearing, Senator Raffy Tulfo brought the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) under scrutiny for the substantial confidential funds allocated to the agency in 2022 and 2023. The senator highlighted the rapid expenditure and liquidation of P500 million in confidential funds by PAGCOR in 2023, noting that P120 million was spent in just seven days.
PAGCOR Chairperson Alejandro Tengco clarified that while they had the approval from the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) for the P500 million funds, the corporation did not utilize it. He also confirmed the receipt of P107 million in confidential funds in 2022, which was reportedly used to combat illegal activities in internet gaming. Tengco detailed the closure and deportation of numerous internet gaming licensees involved in criminal activities, asserting that PAGCOR was responsible for these operations.
However, Senator Tulfo expressed skepticism regarding the necessity of such confidential funds for PAGCOR, arguing that monitoring illegal gambling falls under the purview of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). He raised concerns about potential redundancy and overlapping efforts between these law enforcement agencies and PAGCOR.
In response to Tulfo’s request for records detailing the specific utilization of the confidential funds, PAGCOR committed to providing the necessary documentation. The senator’s inquiry casts a spotlight on the need for transparency and accountability in the use of confidential funds, especially when multiple agencies are involved in similar operations.
This questioning comes amid a backdrop of a thriving gaming sector, with record revenues reported for 2023, and ongoing debates regarding the allocation and utilization of confidential funds in various government offices.