JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre has been petitioned to include Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade in the economic sabotage case against Jack Lam, one of the biggest gambling moguls in Asia, over illegal online gambling operations at Clark Freeport in Pampanga.
The petition came from the Road Users Protection Advocates, chaired by Ray Junia who said Lam could not have prospered in his illegal operations inside the Fontana Leisure and Casino Hotel if not for Tugade, who previously headed the Clark Development Corp.
“We urge the DoJ to include Tugade and other CDC officials as co-respondents in the case. Tugade is a lot guiltier than Lam,” Junia said during the launching of the “Oust Tugade Movement” on Tuesday.
“As a businessman, Lam will really try to maneuver against the government to protect his illegal interests. But Tugade was entrusted with the job of making sure these maneuvers are stopped. Tugade committed the bigger crime, which is betrayal of public trust,” Junia added.
RUPA has been calling for the ouster of Tugade for alleged conflict of interest, incompetence and failing to alleviate the plight of commuters for the past five months.
The Transportation chief cannot claim that he is innocent or unaware of the illegal activities that happened while he was still head of the CDC, according to the movement.
“If he insists that he doesn’t know of Lam’s operations, then he is the most incompetent official at CDC. But if he knew and allowed these illegal activities to continue, then Tugade is equally liable for economic sabotage,” Junia said.
President Rodrigo Duterte has already ordered Lam’s arrest after his alleged attempt to bribe Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairperson Andrea Domingo.
If Lam was brazen enough to try to bribe Aguirre for the release of 1,316 Chinese nationals working at the online gaming facility in Fontana, money may have also changed hands between the gambling operator and Tugade for CDC to turn a blind eye on the illegal activity, Junia said.
The Hong Kong-based Lam is the chairman of the Jimei Group, which is one of the biggest gambling junket operators in Asia.
Through his lawyer Raymond Fortun, Lam admitted he met with Aguirre but denied the charges of bribery.