Pagcor won’t defy Arroyo order vs jai alai re

The partners of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor) in jai alai operations will have to absorb the loss they are likely to incur after President Arroyo frowned on the reopening of the game in the country.

Pagcor chief of staff Rafael Francisco said yesterday the gaming firm will not likely defy Mrs. Arroyo’s order against reopening jai alai because it opposes the government’s anti-gambling policy.

The closure of jai alai operations will cause losses to Pagcor’s partners Belle Corp. and FilGame Corp. which operated the game for the state-owned gaming firm.

"We will tell them what the President ordered us," Francisco said.

"Since President Arroyo has already stated, through presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao, her desire not to reopen the jai alai, then we will not resume its operations," he added.

Francisco said Pagcor’s one-third share in jai alai profits represented P500 million a year but it would not likely have a substantial impact on Pagcor’s revenues which already hit P1.6 billion last month alone.

Besides, a growing number of congressmen are also opposing the revival of jai alai and even threatened to lead protest rallies if the government allows its return.

The Palace and legislators announced their stern positions on Monday after the Supreme Court ruled on Friday that only Pagcor can operate jai alai and that it cannot extend that privilege to private entities.

Central Visayas and Mindanao congressmen said the reopening of jai alai would also lead to the proliferation of illegal numbers games, like masiao and jueteng, in their jurisdictions.

Cebu City Rep. Raul del Mar said all of Cebu’s seven lawmakers will oppose the reopening of jai alai because masiao operators will surely piggy-back their illegal gambling activities on the Basque game in Manila.

Del Mar recalled that Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal personally led prayer rallies in 1999 to convince then President Joseph Estrada to scrap jai alai.