By HENRY EMPEÑO | Nov. 14, 2024

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has denied having jurisdiction over Central One Bataan, a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm in Bagac, Bataan that was raided by authorities on Oct. 31 for allegedly operating as a scam hub.

Lawyer Joseph Lobo, Pagcor regulatory officer, made this clarification on Wednesday night during a meeting of the Bataan Provincial Peace and Order Council chaired by Bataan Governor Jose Enrique “Joet” Garcia.

In a video released by the Bataan Provincial Information Office, Lobo said Pagcor issued a certified list of all its licensees following reports that Central One had no secondary license from Pagcor.

“What we issued is a list of what (licensees) we have,” Lobo said, adding that the list showed that Central One is not a licensee of Pagcor.

“It was established in the discussion that Central One Bataan is a locator of AFAB (Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan), and under EO 13, which defines online gaming, it was clear that AFAB has the jurisdiction since it is their locator, and not Pagcor,” Lobo added.

Executive Order No. 13 provides that the license to operate online gambling granted to qualified operators shall not be assigned, shared, leased, transferred, sold or encumbered to any other party.

The statement by Pagcor contradicted claims by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) that Central One needed a permit to operate online gambling from Pagcor.

A team led by PAOCC agents raided the BPO facility on Oct. 31 on the strength of a search warrant issued by a court in Malolos, Bulacan.

PAOCC officials said that Central One ran love scams, cyberscams, and online gambling operations in a six-building complex in Bagac.

PAOCC also claimed that the facility is located in a property owned by Camaya Land Development, which made the private real estate firm the primary lessor of Central One. AFAB, however, had contented that the facility is under an expansion area of the state-run company.

In a statement on Nov. 9, Central One denied all allegations of illegal activities made by suspended PAOCC Director Winston Casio, calling them “malicious”. It added that it will exhaust all legal means to protect and clear its name, and prove that the claims of Casio were “fabricated and baseless.”

AFAB has also expressed support to the beleaguered firm, saying in a statement on Tuesday that Central One has been “a vital contributor to the economic development of the Freeport Area of Bataan,” with employment of over 1,500 workers, approximately 95 percent of whom are Filipinos.

As a registered enterprise, Central One “has consistently demonstrated adherence to AFAB’s regulatory framework” and has complied with operational, labor, and safety standards, the authority added.

Meanwhile, Rep. Albert Garcia of the 2^nd District of Bataan expressed deep concern over the Central One raid, saying it deeply impacted the welfare of Bataeños and the dignity of the labor force and investors in the province.

“The recent events involving Central One…have exposed serious lapses and an alarming disregard for due process by our law enforcement agencies,” Garcia said in a privilege speech at the House of Representatives on Monday, Nov. 11.

He said the raid quickly turned into a nightmare, as employees were forcibly detained, denied their freedom to move, and were released “only after exhaustive hours of profiling and harassment.”

“In the name of justice, we cannot allow any institution to act with a heavy hand and bring distress upon our law-abiding citizens without a thorough and cautious approach,” Garcia added. 