AMLC taps PAGCOR to probe casino activities of DPWH execs

 The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said Monday it is coordinating with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) regarding the investigation into the casino activities of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials linked to anomalous flood control projects.

During the Committee on Finance’s deliberations on the AMLC’s proposed P333.1 million budget for fiscal year 2026, Senator Raffy Tulfo asked for the possibility of big-time players, particularly those from the DPWH, colluding with casino employees to commit money laundering.

“Pwede naman, sir, mangyari ‘yun [It is possible, sir, it can happen],” AMLC executive director Matthew David admitted. 

David, however, said that the AMLC is currently working with PAGCOR to investigate the public officials who reportedly went to casinos. 

“We're requesting PAGCOR to investigate regarding the incidents of some public officials using the casinos as possible sites for proceeds of corruption. We’re doing right now it with PAGCOR,” he added. 

David said the AMLC can also conduct targeted on site examination of casinos to determine whether or not they have violations of existing implementing rules and regulations. 

“Pwede po namin pag-aralan na magkaroon ng personnel sa mga casinos because under sa rules namin saka sa batas, hindi required ang AMLC to be present in each and every covered person na nire-regulate namin. Pero pag-aaralan namin kung pwede naming gawin ‘yun,” he added. 

(We can study if we should have personnel present in the casinos because under our rules and the law, the AMLC is not required to be present in each and every covered person that we regulate. But we will see if we can make it possible.) 

This came after Senator Panfilo Lacson, who now chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, previously disclosed in a privilege speech that erstwhile DPWH engineers known as the “BGC Boys” have cashed in billions of pesos from casinos in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Pampanga from 2023 to 2025 in what could be a money laundering scheme. 

Lacson identified the engineers as former Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara, former district assistant engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, construction division chief Jaypee Mendoza, DPWH engineer II Arjay Domasig, and contractor Edrick San Diego.

David said that the AMLC probe will be the basis for issuing a freeze order, as well as filing cases for civil forfeiture and money laundering.

Tulfo then encouraged AMLC to tie up with PAGCOR and casinos to get access to CCTV footage if there are questionable transactions worth hundreds of millions. 

“We’ve already sat down with the PAGCOR and with the relevant casinos and we have already requested CCTV, particularly incidents wherein persons of interest or the public officials entered casinos. We’ve made that request and we’re just waiting for them to give us copies of these video clips from the CCTVs of these incidents,” David answered. 

The Senate Committee on Finance submitted the AMLC’s proposed budget to the plenary for consideration, subject to the discussion and document requested. — RF, GMA Integrated News