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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines -- Malacanang on Wednesday maintained there is nothing wrong with the perks received by local gaming regulators from Japanese casino magnate Kazuo Okada but declined to comment when asked to react on reports that the husband of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Jose Miguel, enjoyed the same privileges.
“I cannot speak for the former First Gentleman. As for (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairman Cristino) Naguiat, he received those perks as a Pagco official, and that is industry practice,” Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
Earlier, Agence France-Press reported that Wynn Resorts had filed a suit in the United States, citing an investigation carried out by former Federal Bureau of Investigation chief Robert Freeh, which alleges 36 separate instances "where Okada or his associates/affiliates made payments exceeding US$110,000 that directly benefited senior Pagcor officials," specifically Naguiat and his predecessor Efraim Genuino, since 2008.
“The investigation report attached to the suit cited mostly free stays and dinners at Wynn resorts in Las Vegas and Macau for the officials, their families, and the husband of former Philippines president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” AFP reported.
But Lacierda said:“Insofar as Chairman Naguiat is concerned, there was no cash gift granted to Chairman Naguiat … (Free accommodation) is an industry practice … as long as you don’t profit from it personally; as long as it is done because it’s a practice that you provide accommodations for each other.”
He also said he was confident Naguiat will be able to “clear his name.”
Lacierda also admitted that President Benigno Aquino III was supposed to meet with Wynn Resorts Ltd. chief executive Steve Wynn but this did not push through.
However, he could not say when the aborted meeting was supposed to take place.
“There’s nothing wrong with that (meeting between Aquino and Wynn). There are many investors who come here to inform us that these are their investment commitment and this is what they intend to do,” Lacierda said.
“This is not a special case,” he added.
