Naguiat, PAGCOR board sibakin (Tadtad ng anomalya)

IMBES i-reappoint, dapat nang sibakin sa pwesto si Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman Cristino Naguiat, Jr., at ang buong PAGCOR board dahil sa mga anomalya.

Ito ang tahasang inihayag ng isang grupo sa pangunguna ni Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares.

Naghain si Colmenares, kasama sina Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Rep. Carlos Zarate, dating Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, BAYAN Secretary General Renato Reyes at COURAGE President Ferdinand Gaite, ng “letter of opposition” sa reappointment ni Naguiat at ng buong PAGCOR board.

Personal na nagtungo si Rep. Colmenares sa Governance Commission for Government-Owned or Controlled Corporation para ipabatid ang matinding pagtutol ng grupo sa reappointment ng board. Ayon sa GCG, ito ang unang pagkakataon na nangyari ito at mabilis ang kanilang naging pagkilos.

“It is PAGCOR’s mandate to help the poor and the needy therefore their money is public funds. If they use this money to pay for the taxes of casinos then they are essentially making the poor people pay for the taxes of these multi-billion companies. Bakit ang mahihirap ang magbabayad ng buwis ng mga casinong ito?” tanong ni Colmenares.

Ayon kay Colmenares, kabilang sa kanilang tinututulan ang hindi pagbabayad ng P5.14B tax ng PAGCOR habang binayaran ang income tax ng big time casinos katulad ng Travellers International Hotel Groups, Inc., MCE Leisure (Philippines) Corporation, Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc., at Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment, Inc.

Bukod dito, hindi rin aniya maipaliwanag ng PAGCOR kung saan nila ginamit ang kanilang P110 million intelligence funds.

“Among the complaints we stated in our letter, are the none payment of P5.14B tax of PAGCOR while paying for the income tax of big time casinos like Travellers International Hotel Groups, Inc., MCE Leisure (Philippines) Corporation, Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc. and Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment, Inc. PAGCOR also cannot explain where they spent their P110 million intelligence funds,” pahayag ni Senior Deputy Minority Leader Colmenares.

Binigyang-diin ng mambabatas na ang mga casino ang dapat magbayad ng kanilang buwis at dapat hayaan ng PAGCOR na gawin nila ito. Dapat din aniyang iprayoridad ng gobyerno ang pagsingil sa buwis ng malalaking kompanya katulad ng mga casino at hindi ang ordinary professionals katulad ng mga abogado, doctors, teachers o accountants.

“The casinos should be the one who should pay their taxes and PAGCOR should let them do so. This administration’s taxation should prioritize going after big companies like these casinos and not on ordinary professionals like lawyers, doctors, teachers or accountants. These big companies rake in super profits and they should be the primary ones taxed,” aniya.

Kaugnay nito, hiniling ng grupo sa GCG na magrekomenda ng bagong board members ng PAGCOR at ibasura ang mga kasalukuyang nakaupo.

Hinamon din nila si Pangulong Benigno Aquino III na ibase ang kanyang desisyon sa pagtatalaga ng mga opisyal ayon sa performance, katapatan at integridad at hindi dahil sa kanilang pagkakaibigan.

“We are asking the GCG to recommend a new set of board members for PAGCOR and to dismiss the current ones. We are also challenging Pres. Aquino to base his judgement of appointments on performance, probity and integrity and not just friendship because if not then we are really in deep trouble,” pagtatapos ni Colmenares.

HATAW News Team