Porac aspiring mayor Mike Tapang questioned the recent clearance issued by the House Quad Committee to Mayor Jaime Capil, emphasizing that it does not erase the governance lapses under his administration. “The House Quad Committee recently cleared Capil of his connections to the POGO hub in Porac through a letter obviously requested by the Mayor ‘for whatever purpose it may serve’ him and his slate. However, please note that this does not erase the lapses in leadership and governance under his administration,” Tapang said in a statement.
He stressed that while Capil was cleared of direct involvement as a partner, adviser, or operator of the POGO hub, the so-called clearance from QuadCom does not absolve him of the multiple complaints filed by various government agencies. “That clearance does not cover the cases filed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG),” Tapang pointed out.
Tapang further detailed the charges against Capil, highlighting the Ombudsman’s decision to suspend him, Vice Mayor Francis Laurence Tamayo, and other local officials for six months due to gross neglect of duty. “They were accused of allowing the continued operation of Lucky South 99 despite its alleged illegal activities,” he said. He also noted that Capil and nine other officials are facing graft charges before the DOJ for approving the business permit of Lucky South 99 despite clear irregularities in its application documents.
Quadcom Clears Porac Mayor, But Legal Troubles May Not Be Over – Barbers
Capil and five others has been cleared by the House Committee on Games and Amusements (Quadcom) of any direct involvement in the illegal operations of Lucky South 99, according to a statement issued by committee chair Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.
However, the clearance does not preclude further investigations by other government agencies. “The clearance issued to Mayor Capil is without prejudice to the investigations that other government agencies may further conduct, and the cases that may be filed against him should the evidence warrant,” Barbers clarified.
Quadcom’s findings indicated that Capil only issued a business permit to Lucky South 99 while it was still licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). When the license was revoked, no further permits were granted by his office. Based on this, Quadcom found no evidence linking Capil to the continued operations of the establishment.
However, Barbers underscored that the Ombudsman’s investigation is separate from Quadcom’s, and its findings will not affect any ongoing or future legal proceedings outside the committee’s jurisdiction.