Palace hands off on Duterte's dare to worried investors | ABS-CBN

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Palace hands off on Duterte's dare to worried investors

Palace hands off on Duterte's dare to worried investors

ABS-CBN News

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MANILA - Malacañang declined Wednesday to interpret President Duterte's pronouncement that American businesses worried with his anti-crime war can always "pack up and leave" the Philippines.

"We have no documentary basis, but if he indeed said that in the transcript of the Presidential Communications Team - President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, we don't want to rush to interpret that again," Presidential Communications Secretary Ana Marie Banaag told radio DZMM.

"We'll wait for official statement on the matter," she added.

Duterte on Tuesday said the Philippines will recover and survive even if American investors worried about his statements should pull out of the country.

"E di magsilayas kayo. Magtiis kami [Go ahead, pack your bags. We will sacrifice]. We will recover, I assure you. We will live and survive. We have gone through the worst times in this planet," he said in a speech before leaving for his official visit to Japan.

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Banaag said the official clarification on Duterte's statement will probably come from the President himself or from Cabinet officials who directly deal with foreign investors, when their entourage returns from Japan.

Nevertheless, Banaag sought to assure the public that Duterte's statements are no cause for concern.

"'Wag po tayong mabahala kasi kaakibat po niyan ay pagmamalakasakit. Sana doon po sa ginagawa niya, magtiwala tayo na may gusto siyang gawin sa ating bansa," she said. [Let us not worry because his statements are coupled with compassion. May we learn to trust in what he wants to do for our country.]

Last week in Beijing, Duterte announced his "separation" from the US, which earlier expressed concern over the piling body count in his war on drugs. He later clarified that Manila's 70-year alliance with the superpower stands.

But he also sustained his anti-US rhetoric, saying Tuesday that he was not an American "lapdog" and threatening anew to scrap a mutual defense treaty with Washington.

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Pasay City mayor slams PAOCC spox over 'criminal liability' remark after POGO raid

Pasay City mayor slams PAOCC spox over 'criminal liability' remark after POGO raid

Jeff Caparas,

ABS-CBN News

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Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano speaks during a meeting with mayors at the Metro Manila Development Authority on July 25, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The mayor of Pasay City on Thursday condemned the "irresponsible" statement of Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) spokesperson Winston Casio, who said that a probe is underway into the "possible criminal liability" of LGU officials where illegal POGOs are being discovered.

On Wednesday, PAOCC said it is looking into the "possible criminal liability" of local government officials from Pasay and Lapu-lapu City after the agency raided illegal POGO in the two areas earlier this year.

Mayor Imelda "Emi" Calixto-Rubiano said Casio's statements "unfairly tarnish the reputation of city officials."

"Pasay City has a zero-tolerance policy towards POGO operations, regardless of whether they are disguised, temporary, or operated as dummy entities. POGOs are not allowed in our city. This is not just a symbolic gesture; it reflects our commitment to eliminating POGO operations in our city," she said.

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On Monday, several South Korean workers were found hiding in the basement of the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City, where an underground scam center was allegedly operating.

Most of the raided POGOs in Metro Manila were located in the southern part of the capital region, namely in Makati, Pasay and Parañaque, according to PAOCC.

But Calixto said that they have strict zero-tolerance policy against POGO.

“No business permits have been issued to any POGO and the recently raided POGO facilities were operating discreetly and in concealed locations. These facilities do not operate under any business license issued by Pasay City,” she said.

The PAOCC earlier filed criminal and civil cases against former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and other officials linked to operations of the mega POGO compound in the sleepy agricultural town. 

Porac Mayor Jing Capil and 10 other officials from Pampanga are also facing graft charges for their supposed ties to illegal gambling operations.

As of February 14, 12 cases have been filed against POGO personalities, while 8 other cases are undergoing preliminary investigation, based on data from the PAOCC.

The agency said it is preparing 13 other cases linked to illegal gambling operations in the Philippines.

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