Philippines government fast-tracks acquisition of seized illegal offshore gaming operator assets

Executive secretary Lucas Bersamin said the assets would be used for “any kind of purpose that is legitimate to the government and to the use of the property.”

The Philippines.- Executive secretary Lucas Bersamin has reported the Philippine government is taking measures to fast-track the process of seizing properties and assets connected to illegal offshore gaming operators.

During an event at Malacañan Palace in Manila, Bersamin stressed that there are already laws on forfeiture of properties, but the process is “very slow.”

“We are already doing everything to hasten the process, except that we have to give due process to whoever appears to be the holder of those assets. We could not grab it without due process, but they already have laws and regulations about forfeiture in place,” he said.

The Senate is currently eyeing a bill that would enable the government to seize all assets associated with illegal offshore gaming activities. This includes properties, equipment, and any income generated from these operations. The proposed legislation will allow the government to take over all buildings, materials, equipment and proceeds from offshore gaming operators. Bersamin noted that properties seized through this process would be used for legitimate purposes or disposed of in accordance with government regulations.

“Those buildings will become assets of the government, so the government will dispose of them as its judgment will guide,” he stated.

Philippines confirms closure of largest offshore gaming operator hub

Authorities have confirmed that what’s been described as the biggest offshore gaming operator compound in the Philippines is no longer operational. Operations ceased on November 30 and the site has now been inspected.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Jonvic Remulla, along with presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) executive director under secretary Gilbert Cruz, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil visited the site today (December 17) to check that it had been vacated.

Remulla told reporters: “As promised, we visited the area by December to see that everything is closed. We will follow the president’s (Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) directive that all offshore gaming operators must be closed. Per the local government unit administrator, they inspected the facility on the last week of November and there are no more operations here.”

The compound has 57 buildings, including dormitories, cafés, grocery stores, clinics, restaurants, spas and beauty salons. Some 30,000 people had been employed at the site, around half of them Filipinos.

Remulla said The Department of Labor and Employment and Department of Trade and Industry were setting up job fairs for displaced Filipino workers so they can find new jobs. He said he believed foreign workers had all been repatriated.

See also: Alejandro Tengco: only 17 offshore gaming operators remain in the Philippines

Executive secretary Lucas Bersamin said the assets would be used for “any kind of purpose that is legitimate to the government and to the use of the property.” The Philippines.- Executive…