Firm Had No License to Operate in the Provinces Says Police; Firm's Lawyers Say Otherwise
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Local police have cracked down on the alleged illegal gambling operation of a Spanish-owned gaming firm in two provinces in northern Philippines which resulted in the arrest of 137 people.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) raided the outlets of Meridien Vista Gaming Corporation (MVGC) in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino for operating an illegal numbers similar to the popular "jueteng" numbers game.
According to law officials, the raids were conducted after it was found out that MVGC was operating outlets outside of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).
CIDG Senior Superintendent Christopher Laxa told reporters that MVGC was only supposed to operate inside CEZA but it has expanded its operations to nearby provinces such as Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya and reached even further south to the Bicol region. Laxa further added that the firm was operating without the proper permits from local government units.
However, counsels for the Spanish gaming firm Raymond Fortun and Angelo Santos said that MVGC's operations were "lawful, legal and aboveboard" stressing that charges that their company's operations were similar to jueteng and that they lacked Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) approval were "misplaced assumptions".
In a letter sent to the provincial board of Nueva Vizcaya, MVGC's lawyers stated:
"(Meridien) is a domestic corporation… under Philippine laws, duly licensed and authorized to conduct gaming operations (through a franchise) from CEZA (Cagayan Economic Zone Authority)… (which was) created through Republic Act 7922."
Earlier this year, the operations of MVGC were ordered to halt by CEZA Administrator Jose Mari Ponce after anti-gambling advocates in the province aired their opposition of the gaming firm operating outside of its jurisdiction. The implementation of the cease-and-desist order was however stopped by a court in Cagayan province.
News Posted September 22
