Jaime Camil, the suspended mayor of Porac, Pampanga, and a number of other local officials have been charged with graft by Philippine authorities, who claim they were involved in the illicit operations of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO). The operations of Lucky South 99, an alleged illegal POGO hub that prosecutors claim participated in cyber frauds and human trafficking in Central Luzon, are at the heart of the case, which has attracted a lot of attention.
Capil and several other officials, including Vice Mayor Francis Laurence Tamayo, Emerald Vital, the town’s Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) Officer-in-Charge, and eight members of the Sangguniang Bayan, are accused of graft in the complaints, which were filed by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). According to the Philippine News Agency, all are accused of violating sections 3(e), (f), and (j) of Republic Act 3019, which is the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The charges are based on claims that, between 2021 and 2023, Capil and his co-accused hurriedly granted permits for Lucky South 99 in spite of application forms that were either blank or incomplete. The DOJ claims that the officials in question did nothing in response to several law enforcement complaints that indicated possible criminal activity, including human trafficking, taking place at the gaming operation.
The Ascent of Lucky South 99 and the Alleged Collusion of Local Authorities
Operating permissions were given to Lucky South 99, an offshore gaming company that is currently suspected of engaging in cyber fraud and trafficking, under dubious conditions. Even when there were concerns about the operation’s legality, authorities claim that these permits were expedited through the approval procedure.