Cagayan court rules in favor of gaming firm

MANILA, Philippines - A Cagayan regional trial court has temporarily stopped the government, through the Games and Amusement Board (GAB), from regulating the nationwide jai alai operation of Meredian Vista Gaming Corp. (MVGC).

In a statement, the MVGC said Judge Conrado Manauis of the 2nd Judicial Region of the Regional Trial Court Branch 8 of Aparri, Cagayan granted its motion for injunction against the GAB last March 23 and “ordered both camps to hold in abeyance their legal contention as prescribed in the order.”

Manauis also stopped the GAB, the Philippine National Police, and other law enforcement agencies “from perpetrating and stopping the MVGC from operating all its betting stations around the country,” the company said.

Manauis also denied the GAB’s contention that he has no jurisdiction over the agency, it added.

The petition of MVGC, a franchise holder of jai alai, stemmed from the company’s refusal to recognize that GAB has the lawful mandate to regulate the gaming industry in the country, including jai alai or Basque pelota games.

The GAB has argued that it had served as the regulatory agency over jai alai games from the 1950s to 1987 when then President Corazon Aquino revoked the franchises of the Philippine Jai Alai Gaming Corp. and the Philippine Games and Holidays Corp.

But the MVGC said the GAB has no authority to regulate jai alai because Presidential Decree 810, which granted the body regulatory powers, was repealed during the term of the late President Corazon Aquino.

It further argued that it is not violating any laws “even if” the GAB has the regulatory authority over jai alai because it is “merely acting under the license granted by the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority.”