Lucky South 99 corporate secretary cited in contempt

The House Committee on Public Order and Safety has cited the corporate secretary of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) Lucky South 99, in contempt for her failure to name the firm's owners.

The House committee adopted the motion to cite Ronalyn Baterna in contempt after the Lucky South 99 officer repeatedly answered that she did not know who the owners of Lucky South 99 were.

Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga was raided by authorities over alleged illegal activities.

Baterna also denied knowing the documented officials of Lucky South 99 namely Julian Linsangan III as President, Edwin Ang as Treasurer and Marion Ryan Chua as Director.

“Never ko po sila nakilala (I have never met them),” Baterna said.

Baterna appealed for consideration to lawmakers. The committee didn't grant her plea.

Instead, Abang Lingkod party-list lawmaker Stephen Paduano said Baterna could file a motion for reconsideration by sending a letter to the committee.

Not-so-lucky incorporators 

Linsangan, Ang and Chua were also present during Wednesday’s probe and said some people forged their signatures on documents submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to make it appear that they were Lucky South 99 company officials.

“Our signatures were forged, maybe by Lucky South,” Chua said.

He said the situation has prompted them to file a case of identity theft before a Makati court.

However, he also said that they agreed to be recruited by a certain Dan dela Cruz to join Lucky South 99 by investing P500,000 each.

Chua said the three of them agreed and submitted documents concerning their personal information to Lucky South 99, which turned out to be a wrong decision.

“I think naloko po kami (We were fooled),” he said.

Chua, Linsangan and Ang also initially denied knowing the real owners of Lucky South 99 before admitting that the said POGO firm is owned by a Chinese citizen identified as Zhang Ji.

Manila lawmaker Bienvenido Abante said it would be impossible for the three documented incorporators to not know the real owner, given that they joined Lucky South 99 for a fee.

“Mga tanga ba kayo? Are you going to allow yourselves to be used by a Chinese national? And you do not even know your corporation? Of course, you will file a complaint [against Lucky South 99] because you have been charged by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission due to this,” Abante said.

“You're trying to have a safe passage in here, that you were not involved, but you know Lucky South 99 and you were used. You are allowing yourselves to be used until now. Do you think you can fool us? No. We’ll get back to you,” Abante added. —NB, GMA Integrated News