AN ANTI-CORRUPTION group has asked the Supreme Court to stop the Philippine Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) from issuing and processing online gaming permits in the country.
In a petition filed on Monday, March 13, Anti-Trapo Movement of the Philippines sought for the high court's issuance of an injunction order.
Leon Peralta, the group's leader, said that the Pagcor's grant of licenses for online games similar to Jai Alai and Operation of Sports Betting and Internet Gaming are both subjects of the two previous SC decisions in Del Mar vs Pagcor and Jaworski vs Pagcor.
The SC ruled in its decisions that the Pagcor does not have the authority to process licenses for online gaming.
Peralta also said Pagcor's issuance of Philippine Online Gaming Licenses (Pogo) is violative of the Section 1 of Republic Act (RA) 9847.
RA 9847 provides that "the conduct of such games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers covered by existing franchises, regulatory bodies or special laws, to the extent of the jurisdiction and powers granted under such franchises and special laws, shall be outside the licensing authority and regulatory powers of the Pagcor."
The anti-corruption group said the authority to issue licenses is solely vested to the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority, which was granted under RA 9490 as amended by Section 6 of RA 10084.
Pagcor according to the petitioners also violated President Rodrigo Duterte's Executive Order 13, which seeks to intensify the government's fight against illegal gambling. (VoxPop Philippines)