Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) suspended the Travellers International Hotel Group’s provincial license to operate casinos and other faming facilities under the business name Resorts World Manila. This suspension shall be lifted only when the hotel’s security lapses has been addressed.
During the interview under “INSIDER EXCLUSIVE Kapihan”, a weekly show that can be viewed on PTV4, and listened to over at DZRJ 810khz, every Wednesdays, 9am, we were able to interview DOJ Secretary Vitalliano Aguirre II regarding NBI’s investigation on the matter.
Sec Aguirre enumerated the liabilities that will be given upon the owner of the establishment, government officials involved in the security lapses. He also asked that a DNA test be done to Jessie Carlos’ corpse to confirm its identity – that he and the employee working under the Department of Finance are one and the same person. An autopsy was also conducted to verify the cause of death. All this will be confirmed and verified by the NBI investigation.
We also touched on the issue regarding former DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima’s order prohibiting the Bureau of Fire Protection to implement the Fire Code in casino and gaming establishments. This created an issue of jurisdiction as to what group should be responsible for implementing the Fire Code. Because of this, Solaire Casino has reached out to the DOJ regarding this issue because they all fall under Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).
According to the Secretary, “Doon po sa sinasabing batas ng PEZA, doon sa 7916 na nagki-create ng PEZA, phil. Economic Zone Authority ay sinasabi doon na merong karapatan ang PEZA na magtayo ng isang fighting, fire fighting unit force para don sa pangangalaga nitong mga companies na registered sa PEZA itong mga nasa ecozone, itong mga casino sa Pasay. So pinagtalunan po don kung sino ba talaga ang may jurisdiction na magpatupad ng Fire Code Of The Phil. It’s IRR o Internal Implementing Rules And Regulations. Naging desisyon po ni Sec. De Lima ay ang PEZA.
“Ito po ay naging kataka taka sakin sapagkat alam naman natin na ang PEZA ay wala namang kakayahan or expertise or experience na magpatupad ng ating fire safety standards kaya po napag alaman ko po na parang itong Bureau Of Fire Protection natin ay parang natakot because of legal opinion na ipaglaban yung kanilang karapatan under the law na sila talaga ang may karapatang mag implement dito. Sapagkat natatakot sila dahil lang sa malalakas na tao, malalakas na impluwensya nitong mga may ari ng mga establishments lalong lalo na itong mga casino.”
“Because of that opinions, issued by Sec. De Lima 2014 ay hindi na nakialam ang bfp talagang parang nagkaroon ng role sa pagpapatupad ng fire code of the phil. Ay ang PEZA na mula noong 2014. So nangyari na nga tong nakaraang insidente sa resorts world, na wala pong pakialam ang BFP kundi po nasa pangangalaga po yan ng PEZA.
“So merong nag call sakin ng attention nyan kaya’t po aming pinag aralan yung opinion ni sec. De Lima nong 2014 at napag alaman po namin na talagang very erroneous ang legal opinion. Matatandaan po natin na ang head ng PEZA noon ay yung tiyahin ni sec. Laila De Lima si Atty. Lilian De Lima, so from there, from that time sila na ang nakakaalam dyan sa pagpapatupad ng batas ng fire protection code.
“Samantala humingi ang PEZA ng pahintulot kung puwede silang makipag joint Memorandum of Agreement sa BFP. Sa ginawang pag aaral ng DOJ kanilang binago na ang rules, binaligtad na nila ang opinion ni dating Secretary De Lima, nag issue na ngayon si Sec. Aguirre ng contrary opinion na nag sasabi sa Republic Act 9514 na ang batas na nkapaloob dito na may kaugnayan sa fire code ay refilled na o pinawawalan na ng bisa. Hindi na puweding makialam ang PEZA, maaari nalamang silang makipag tulungan at ang magiging implementing Unit dito ay ang Bureau of Fire Protection sa implementation ng Fire Code Of the Philippines.”
The issue on the Pork Barrel Scam & DAP was discussed as a part of the show’s final segment. According to the secretary, there will be 120 lawmakers that will be sued in the following weeks regarding this issue. According to Atty. Stephen David, the lawyer for the accused Janet Lim Napoles, they are ready to file cases against additional legislators involved in the PDAF scandal.
So far, only 3 cases have been filed.
Next “RESORT WORLD CASINO SECURITY LAPSES” Part 2
