Globaltech questions arrest of Peryahan operator

Gaming technology firm Globaltech Mobile Online Corp. (Globaltech) yesterday questioned the illegal arrest of an operator of its Peryahan ng Bayan (PnB) games by the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Globaltech legal counsel Bernard Vitriolo said their operator Manuel Salazar Gili Jr. was arrested last Wednesday in his house in Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City despite the legality of the PnB operations.

Vitriolo stressed the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has agreed to relaunch PnB operations in 15 original sites, subject to compliance with several operational requirements.

The Globaltech official cited a letter received last June 10 from PCSO assistant general manager for branch operations sector Lauro Patiag conveying the PCSO’s approval to again place PnB within its authority “pursuant to the original Deed of Authority (DOA) and its implementing rules and regulations.”

Vitriolo also stressed that the PnB site raided by CIDG has the necessary mayor’s permit to operate.

“How many reasons are there to illegally raid and harass our Peryahan games operators? Why is it that other gambling operations with no permits flourish?” he said.

The National Bureau of Investigation cracked down on the PnB and arrested operators, who were later on ordered released by the Department of Justice due to the lack of a legal basis for the arrest.

The Court of Appeals dismissed the petition filed by PCSO questioning the status quo ante order and ruled that the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 161 was correct in ordering the parties to resolve the dispute through arbitration while allowing Globaltech to continue with its PnB operations.

The PCSO board of directors earlier decided to abide by the CA ruling and pursue arbitration with Globaltech.

The trial court also required Globaltech to post a bond of P50 million for its bid to regularize its operations, which were based only on a renewable DOA with the PCSO.

The PCSO terminated the DOA with Globaltech in February 2016 due to the firm’s failure to remit P50 million in revenue to the gaming regulatory agency.

Globaltech questioned the termination of the DOA and attributed its failure to raise the money to PCSO’s refusal to grant the firm regularization for a full eight-year period for which it qualified.

The firm said the lack of a regular PCSO permit had repercussions on its operations, such as the denial of a business permit for its draw center in Laoc, Pangasinan and law enforcement agencies threatening to arrest its sales agents.