Jaime Capil, the mayor of Porac, Pampanga, was dismissed from his position and permanently banned from holding any government office by the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly protecting illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
The decision was issued on April 3, stating that during his tenure, Capil continuously issued business licenses to the illegal POGO operation center "Lucky South 99" from 2021 to 2023, despite the center clearly not meeting multiple legal and regulatory requirements.
The investigation revealed that Lucky South 99 did not submit a Letter of No Objection (LONO) from the city council when applying for a business permit, and the company's registration documents did not include the necessary Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration information required for POGO operations. Moreover, despite warnings from law enforcement agencies, including the Philippine National Police (PNP), and recommendations from a joint inspection team to deny the renewal of its business license, Capil took no regulatory or preventive actions.
The Ombudsman emphasized that although POGO enterprises may have obtained national-level operating permits, local governments still have an independent regulatory duty when issuing mayor's business licenses. Capil's failure to regulate the operations despite knowing the enterprise's non-compliance constituted gross negligence.
In addition to being dismissed, Capil will also lose the right to receive any government retirement benefits and is permanently barred from holding public office. If he is no longer in office, the Ombudsman will deduct a fine equivalent to one year's salary from his pension or other government dues.
The case was initially brought by the Department of the Interior and Local Government and supported by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, which had publicly presented video evidence of employee abuse inside Lucky South 99. The center was also linked to another illegal POGO center in Banban, Tarlac, which led to the dismissal and detention of Mayor Alice Guo.
Besides Capil, the vice mayor Francis Tamayo, former vice mayor Charlie Santos, and several city councilors were also investigated but were not held accountable for gross negligence due to lack of direct evidence.
In a statement, Capil expressed "deep sorrow" over the decision, describing it as a severe blow to him and his family. However, he insisted on appealing legally and plans to continue running for re-election as mayor. "Please be assured, residents of Porac, our campaign will not stop, and now more than ever, we need your support. We will continue to fight," he stated.
