The Philippines--It's a More Profit Crazy world

Business is booming, says government. Yet, for many of us, ordinary souls walking along EDSA because we lack the money for bus fares, or those who walk along Recto avenue, businessmen may be reaping tremendous rewards, but the "bosses", the real people whom President Aquino says, he's accountable for, are definitely unconcerned about this "economic boom".


How would they when these windfalls fall to the top and not spiralling down the economic ladder? Big Business are getting tremendous profits out of people's miseries. 


Telecommunication companies for example, are disobeying legitimate orders from the National Telecommunications Commission because they think that they have the financial muscle and the relationship with the present government, enough to shield them from criminal and civil suits.


Food manufacturers are likewise, having the time of their lives reaping benefits after benefits, with prices of their commodities higher by forty five percent. A 7,000 pesos worth of groceries now is certainly lower by weight than it was several months ago. 


Big Business groups who purchased local utilities are likewise, profitting like crazy. Electricity rates in this country remain the highest among other Asian countries. Water rates are likewise extremely high. God gave electricity and water for the overall benefit of many, yet, the "many" right now cannot seem to afford such, with "needs" turning into "luxuries".


It is government's role to at least, make the environment more people-friendly and more equitable, yet, it seems like this is more than a dream than anything.


Government under Aquino remains still, a relationship-centric one. When you have a relationship with Aquino or even just his factotum, you're safe. You can do anything you want, and with impunity, for as long as you're under the "protective custody" of Aquino and the new elite.


Take the case of PAGCOR Chairman Bong Naguiat. When Naguiat assumed power shortly after this administration ousted the former chairman Ed Genuino due to the former's ass licking ways with the previous administration, the new Chair promised a New Pagcor, sans of the corruption and graft it was known for for several decades.


The people believed him, being a friend of the President. 


Now, we hear and see rampant graft and corruption inside the PAGCOR, with the Chairman reportedly leading the way. 


Yep, there really is a New Pagcor---newer ways of corruption, newer ways of strengthening patron-client relationships and newer ways of dealing with high rollers and Big Business investors.


It is not just with Pagcor that we see newer forms of corruption---even in enforcement agencies like the Bureau of Customs and the like, graft and corruption remain.

Bong Naguiat's 5 New Houses, and New shady PAGCOR deals: Aquino Administration's ZTE deal

The Untouchable Bong Naguiat

Bong Naguiat must surely be laughing himself hoarse these days. Palace support behind him came very fast. 


Credit that to being a member of President Noynoy Aquino's exclusive club---the Kaklase, Kabarilan at Kayosi (KKK) whose members comprised this bachelor president's kitchen cabinet.


Shortly after news came in, alleging, among others that he received gifts from Japanese casino mogul Kasuo Okada just for him to favor the continuance of a permit allowing Okada to operate a casino complex at the soon-to-open PAGCOR Entertainment City, Palace men led by the President himself, Noynoy Aquino, came to his defense as soon as the FBI report was leaked to the media. 


Aquino immediately defended Naguiat, his close Ateneo de Manila friend, and buddy buddy since college days. Aquino said that there's nothing wrong with Naguiat receiving all of these "perks" from gambling and casino operators because that's standard practice, nevermind if the law is clear---no gifts to be given or received by government officials from people especially those with business interests with an agency where the official is connected. 

Kasuo Okada had a second deal with Naguiat?

Naguiat, the report says, stayed in a US$ 6,000 suite courtesy of Okada and other gifts including a precious luxury bag which was given to his wife, allegedly by Okada's associates. Naguiat and the palace were quick on the draw, saying that these stays are standard industry practices and these are "miniscule" amounts compared with the amount of the deal, which runs in the billions of pesos. If there is anything irregular with this, Naguiat and the Palace says, gifts should have been worth many millions, and not "petty amounts" and "petty perks" such as what a former FBI director reported.


Naguiat and the palace were right. This FBI report reveals just one side of the deals which Okada made with Naguiat, and not the other deals which Okada entered into with Pagcor. No one even asked why Okada was all agog with Naguiat, seeing that, indeed, most of his deals were already sealed during the time of former PAGCOR chairman Efraim Genuino.


Simple. When Naguiat sat as PAGCOR chair last July 1, 2010, what was his very first announcement? Naguiat vowed to review all the deals and contracts entered into by the Genuino group. 


Naguiat was very wise---he exposed some deals, like this coffee deal with the previous owners of Figaro and filed numerous graft charges against 40 or so organic and non-organic employees of PAGCOR.


BOng Naguiat then protected and did not touch  were these multi-billion deals involving the PAGCOR Entertainment City, including those purchases made by Okada and Andrew Tan.


Remember that Okada just purchased about 30 hectares out of the 80 hectares at Entertainment City. What was published in the newspapers was just this contract. A source within the Pagcor revealed to this writer that there is another contract of purchase this time for the remaining 50 hectares, forged between Okada and Naguiat himself. 


Naguiat, according to these sources, got an alleged hefty amount from Okada thru their emissary, a certain "Gaw", who also previously facilitated the alleged "deals" and fiduciary exchanges between Naguiat and Okada and Andrew Tan. 


Sources also said that if Aquino really intends to rid government of graft, he should order a quick lifestyle check of his bosom buddy, Bong Naguiat.


IMagine, according to unimpeachable sources, from being a zero owner of home property these past few years, Naguiat's private properties reportedly ballooned to five houses since his ascension as PAGCOR chief early in July 2010.


Naguiat reportedly now has a house being constructed at La Vista worth 100 million pesos, this posh subdivision in Quezon City, another at his wife's province in the North, another in his home town and two more condominiums in Metro Manila. Prior to his appointment, Naguiat has no single property under his name. He lives in the good graces of his father-in-law, a member of the Perez clan based in Pangasinan. 


Where did Naguiat get all of the money to purchase all of these properties all at the same time and at break neck speed? 


Don't tell me that Naguiat inherited these properties from his parents? Naguiat, for the information of many, is not as rich as his friend, Noynoy Aquino, oh, no. 


Naguiat came from a middle class family in Pampanga. 


NOw, what this administration does not know is the impending INTERNATIONAL CATASTROPHE NOW WAITING TO HAPPEN ALL BECAUSE OF NAGUIAT'S NUMEROUS MISSTEPS AT THE PAGCOR.\


THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION WOULD SURELY BE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EMBARRASSING MAELSTROM ONCE THE U.S. STARTS INVESTIGATING THIS ALLEGATION OF VIOLATING US BRIBERY LAWS BY OKADA, AS ALLEGED BY HIS ESTRANGED BUSINESS PARTNER, STEVE WYNN.


ACCORDING TO SOURCES, THE REPORT LEAKED TO MEDIA IS JUST ONE TINY SEGMENT OF AN ENTIRE INVESTIGATION REPORT CONDUCTED BY THE FBI AGAINST OKADA AND NAGUIAT.


THERE IS ANOTHER MORE DAMAGING REPORT WHICH ESTABLISHES A VERY STRONG LINK BETWEEN OKADA AND NAGUIAT AND WHICH, ACCORDING TO SOURCES AGAIN, REPORTEDLY INVOLVES HUGE AMOUNTS OF BRIBE MONEY BEING CHANGED HANDS. 


If the Palace thinks that this PAGCOR episode has been contained and the public will not be interested anymore in digging some more information about this, think again.


If this administration is not careful, this Bong Naguiat caper will surely explode right before the very faces of those moralizing flock at Malacanang. 


There are several more scandals involving Pagcor, and this includes a deal reportedly entered into by Naguiat and his group with the Koreans involving several casino contracts at the Ortigas area.


Mr. President, it's time to let go of Bong Naguiat before these things explode right before your very face. 

No caveat for Naguiat--PAGCOR guys are exempt from Republic Act no. 3019? Really now

For PAGCOR chairman Bong Naguiat, there's simply nothing wrong with receiving gifts or staying in a posh hotel of a supposed applicant for a gaming license here in the Philippines. For Naguiat and his classmate, President Noynoy Aquino, staying in a US$ 10,000 room and enjoying US$ 110,000 worth of hotel accommodations at the Wynn Hotel is "industry practice."


Really now.


So, these provisions of Republic Act no. 3019 does not apply to a person named Bong Naguiat Jr. simply because he's the head of PAGCOR and the one giving those gifts, including hotel accommodations is simply one of a few gaming tycoons who wants to invest US$ 2 billion in the proposed Entertainment City of PAGCOR.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3019
ANTI-GRAFT AND CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT
 
 
Sec. 1. Statement of policy. - It is the policy of the Philippine Government, in line with the principle that a public office is a public trust, to repress certain acts of public officers and private persons alike which constitute graft or corrupt practices or which may lead thereto.
Sec. 2. Definition of terms. - As used in this Act, the term -
(a) "Government" includes the national government, the local governments, the government-owned and government-controlled corporations, and all other instrumentalities or agencies of the Republic of the Philippines and their branches.
(b) "Public officer" includes elective and appointive officials and employees, permanent or temporary, whether in the classified or unclassified or exempt service receiving compensation, even nominal, from the government as defined in the preceding subparagraph.  chan robles virtual law library
(c) "Receiving any gift" includes the act of accepting directly or indirectly a gift from a person other than a member of the public officer's immediate family, in behalf of himself or of any member of his family or relative within the fourth civil degree, either by consanguinity or affinity, even on the occasion of a family celebration or national festivity like Christmas, if the value of the gift is under the circumstances manifestly excessive.

Never mind if the law prohibits such "receipt of gifts" and never mind if the following provisions exists which prohibits public officers from the following overt acts:

Sec. 3. Corrupt practices of public officers. - In addition to acts or omissions of public officers already penalized by existing law, the following shall constitute corrupt practices of any public officer and are hereby declared to be unlawful:
(a) Persuading, inducing or influencing another public officer to perform an act constituting a violation of rules and regulations duly promulgated by competent authority or an offense in connection with the official duties of the latter, or allowing himself to be persuaded, induced, or influenced to commit such violation or offense.
(b) Directly or indirectly requesting or receiving any gift, present, share, percentage, or benefit, for himself or for any other person, in connection with any contract or transaction between the Government and any other part, wherein the public officer in his official capacity has to intervene under the law.
(c) Directly or indirectly requesting or receiving any gift, present or other pecuniary or material benefit, for himself or for another, from any person for whom the public officer, in any manner or capacity, has secured or obtained, or will secure or obtain, any Government permit or license, in consideration for the help given or to be given, without prejudice to Section thirteen of this Act.
(d) Accepting or having any member of his family accept employment in a private enterprise which has pending official business with him during the pendency there...

So, for MALACANANG AND MR. BONG NAGUIAT JR. NOTHING WRONG IF,  SAY, THE LAW SPECIFICALLY AND EXPRESSLY PROHIBITS SUCH ACTS.


NAGUIAT is a special kind of public officer. He is exempt from all these because giving gifts and giving hotel accommodations to casino regulators are industry practice.


Okey, so, let's say I'm a Customs official and I normally receive bribe money from smugglers and importers. Giving bribe money at the Customs is 'INDUSTRY PRACTICE." So, there's nothing wrong for, say Paulino Elevado to amass millions since it is a practice or tradition by the way for Customs men to receive such gifts and bribe money.


Naguiat is a special specie, the kind that President Aquino loves to protect. Aquino will never touch a "classmate", much less, a "kabayan" or a "kabarilan."


So, here's the thing...


You're exempted from walking the right path when you're a personal buddy, a shooting buddy or very close family provide.