The Presidential Palace of the Philippines once again warned on September 3rd that all government officials and employees are prohibited from participating in any form of gambling, and violators will be held accountable. This statement stems from the incident where Henry Alcantara, a former engineer from the first district of Bulacan, admitted to using an alias and a forged ID to enter a casino.
Presidential spokesperson Claire Castro stated that the specific disciplinary action for Alcantara will be decided by Vince Dizon, the Minister of Public Works and Highways. She emphasized that civil servants should consciously comply with the ban, whether online or offline gambling, and should not need repeated reminders. She pointed out: "Even online gambling is prohibited, and civil servants must set an example and adhere to their identity."
Alcantara is also involved in several abnormal flood control projects in Bulacan, and his gambling behavior has attracted high attention from the outside world. Meanwhile, at a congressional hearing by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the issue of civil servants involved in gambling was publicly discussed. PAGCOR revealed that this year alone, casino winnings worth 180 million pesos have been withheld because the holders were government personnel.
According to the 1987 Administrative Code and Presidential Memorandum No. 6 of 2016, civil servants are strictly prohibited from participating in gambling activities and are banned from entering casinos.
