After findings of 'unlawful acts' and default in obligations, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian challenged the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to file charges against erring officials involved in the anomalous procurement of third-party auditor of gross gaming revenues of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). The senator made the call following the termination of the 10-year, PHP6-billion contract signed between PAGCOR and POGO third-party auditor Global ComRCI, which the Senate Committee on Ways and Means found to have committed numerous irregularities. These include the submission of a falsified bank guarantee from a financial institution that was unauthorized by the central bank to provide financial services in the country. "Kailangang panagutin ang mga opisyal at empleyado ng PAGCOR na naging pabaya o kaya'y nakipagsabwatan sa Global ComRCI na dahilan kung bakit sa kanila napunta ang kontrata kahit na malinaw na hindi sila kwalipikado," Gatchalian said in a news release on Sunday. Global ComRCI's submission of a false document is a ground for the termination of the contract, the senator said, citing Section 69 of Republic Act 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act, which specifies the grounds and sanctions for blacklisting a contractor. He also said that private individuals and any public officer conspiring with them in submitting falsified documents to influence the outcome of the eligibility screening process and competitive bidding shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment. PAGCOR said it has endorsed its decision to the Office of the Solicitor General for the possible filing of administrative, civil, and criminal cases against Global ComRCI.
Source: Philippines News Agency
