The Philippines Department of Justice (DOJ) has entered into a memorandum of agreement with gaming regulator PAGCOR under which DOJ personnel will be added to a list of persons restricted from entering the nation’s casinos.
According to a report by state-run Philippine News Agency, the DOJ has around 60,000 employees across its main offices and component agencies, which include the National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Corrections, Office of the Solicitor General, Office of the Government Counsel, Public Attorney’s Office, Parole and Probation Administration and Land Registration Authority.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said there are currently only 600,000 names on the regulator’s list of restricted persons from the 4.5 million government officials and employees.
The agreement represents the first such pact to be signed by a government agency with PAGCOR, he explained, adding that the regulator had voided Php310 million winnings from players who were found to be on the banned list.
Government officials and employees are prohibited from gambling under Presidential Decree 1869.
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said, “The presence of government officials and employees in gaming establishments, in violation of existing laws and regulations, undermines the ethical standards we are sworn to uphold.
“This data-sharing initiative is both timely and necessary. By enabling a more efficient and accurate identification system, we strengthen enforcement mechanisms and ensure that policies are not only written but meaningfully implemented. It allows PAGCOR to better regulate access to gaming revenues and empowers the DOJ to reinforce discipline within its ranks.”
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