Multi-billion casino junket scam suspects indicted in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY — Casino junket financing personalities, who allegedly took at least P4 billion worth of supposed “investments” from at least 10,000 “investors” in the Cordillera and nearby regions, have been indicted of syndicated estafa charges by the Baguio City Prosecutor’s Office.

Hector Pantollana, leader of the erstwhile Horizon Players Club casino junket operator, and 15 other personalities including the group’s Baguio and Cordillera region wing Team Z leader Hazen Humilde, will be tried for syndicated estafa charges. This was after their “capitalists” reaching some 10,000 in Baguio City and the rest of Northern Luzon complained that their "investments,” reportedly reaching at least P4 billion, had not been returned to them.

Pantollana, who also operated the same scheme elsewhere has a warrant of arrest issued on Feb. 27, 2024 by Calauag, Quezon Regional Trial Court Judge Jhesirree Espinas-Dionisio for estafa together with Virginio Martin Casupanan, the former’s henchman who replaced him from signing “contracts of loan” after he was flagged by the Securities and Exchange Commission last year.

Toward the end of July last year,  “investors”, including “account managers” of “Team Z”,  flooded the National Bureau of Investigation-Cordillera Administrative Region (NBI-CAR) with complaints that they were defrauded of their “hard earned” money.

Pantollana, his brother Hubert Amiel, brothers Hazen and Hein Carreon Humilde, Mikaela Damasco Ty-Choi, Casupanan, and several other “core leaders” reportedly duped them into believing that they would continue receiving their 5% monthly “returns of investment” and 2% more for those who convinced others to invest into the casino junket financing scheme, they claimed was meant for casino financing.

More than 200 complainants headed to the NBI-CAR and most complaints have reached the panel of prosecutors instituted earlier by the Baguio City Prosecutor’s Office to probe complaints of syndicated estafa against Pantollana, Humilde and other alleged ring leaders.

In early March last year,  a SEC Cease-and-Desist-Order (CDO) was later on instituted as permanent by the end of 2023 against Pantollana, Humilde and other Team Z ring leaders, the Philippine National Esports League (PNEL) and at least four dozen personalities more involved in the casino junket financing operation. This prompted them to halt their illegal investment scheme.  

The CDO, however, allegedly did not stop the casino junket group from operating not only in Baguio City but all of Northern Luzon and beyond.

Pantollana’s operation allegedly squandered at least P17 billion worth of investments from across the country, including those from Filipinos working abroad.

In his defense, Pantalloana through his lawyer said that: “there are people who were indicted but not having any single participation on the alleged felony."

 "The conspiracy was not proven or no probable cause to establish conspiracy," he added.

Pantalloana also said that the complainants knew it was for the casino business.

In a statement released to journalists in August last year, Humilde was quoted as saying that “(they) want the plain truth behind the fraud complaints.” 

The statement issued by Pantollana, his brother Hubert Amiel, the Humilde brothers, Ty-Choi, Casupanan said that accusations of fraud against them are: "unfair and bereft of verifiable evidence.” 

“The money of the alleged complainants were not pocketed as alleged by some of them," the suspects said.

Pantollana, who has reportedly fled the country last year, and other ring leaders of the HPC are also facing similar estafa and syndicated estafa charges in various locations in the country including several courts in Metro Manila.