Pagcor chief to respect Noynoy's decision on his re-appointment

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) Chairman and chief executive officer Efraim Genuino will respect any decision that president-apparent Sen. Benigno Aquino III would make regarding his reappointment, the agency’s spokesman said yesterday.

“Contrary to the allegations of his critics, Chairman Genuino is not trying to cling to his position but is merely doing his job as he was reappointed by President Arroyo,” said Edward King, Pagcor’s senior vice president for Corporate Communications Services Department.

King said Genuino is more than willing to assist the people that the incoming president would appoint to the state-run gaming firm.

“He is likewise amendable to continue serving the government should the new president wish,” King said.

He also urged Aquino “not to be swayed by the prejudiced views of some people and to give credit where it is due.”

“In the spirit of fairness, he should gauge the performance of Chairman Genuino and consider the achievements that he has done for the corporation,” he said.

“Since Chairman Genuino took the helm of Pagcor, the income of the state-run gaming firm has been steadily increasing and in fact, has more than doubled and has reached P30 billion in the span of only nine years,” King said.

Under his leadership, Pagcor has weathered and even flourished during the times when the global economic crisis crippled major industries worldwide, the official said.

“We reiterate our stand that Chairman Genuino will respect the decision of the new president. With this, we hope that this issue would be finally put to rest,” King said.

Aquino earlier said he is likely to revoke the appointment of Genuino as Pagcor chairman, which critics claimed was illegal.

“I will revoke it at the appropriate time. I want to see the appointment paper first,” Aquino said in an interview.

King, in a previous interview, stressed that Genuino, along with four other board directors, took their oath on March 9, a day before the Constitutional ban on appointments during an election period took place. 

Malacañang, on the other hand, said that it would leave it up to the next administration to decide on what it wants to do with the appointments made by President Arroyo, particularly the directors of Pagcor.

Deputy presidential spokesman Rogelio Peyuan said that the present administration has done its part in making the appointments, which it insists was aboveboard and necessary.

Peyuan said the Palace is not insisting that its reappointment of Genuino and four board members for one year should be accepted by the next administration, especially now that Aquino has indicated that he would review these appointments.

Sen. Francis Escudero, Citizens Battle Against Corruption party-list Rep. Joel Villanueva and even constitutionalist Fr. Joaquin Bernas have all aired their belief that the Pagcor appointments were midnight appointments.

“We are not insisting on anything except that we have to be truthful with you that the appointment has been issued within the bounds of existing laws,” Peyuan said.

“It was executed during the time that it is still allowed by law and again consciously reminded by the provisions of the Omnibus Election Code that the appointments has been issued exactly on March 9 and on the very same day the honorable chairman took his oath in order to perform his job as chairman of Pagcor,” he added.

Peyuan said the guidelines under the charter of Pagcor were followed in the reappointment of the directors.

“We see to it that all those appointments were executed within the ambit of what the law provides. Again, nothing can prevent the next administration from reviewing all of these,” he said.

He said it would be up to the next administration to take all the legal remedies available to question the appointments if it decides to take this course of action.  – With Marvin Sy