New York-based bank categorically denies POGO auditor claim --Gatchalian

New York-based Soleil Chartered Bank (SCB) has categorically denied issuing a bank certificate that helped third party auditor Global ComRCI consortium win a P6 billion contract with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to audit the revenue of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) prompting Senator Win Gatchalian to call for the immediate termination of the deal.

"The contract between PAGCOR and Global ComRCI should be terminated immediately," Gatchalian said, citing a letter dated February 13, 2023 addressed to him by Soleil, the bank that purportedly issued a bank guarantee in favor of Global ComRCI.

Gatchalian revealed the letter contains an outright denial from Soleil stating that "to dispel any doubt whatsoever, SCB would like to make record that it did not issue the questioned bank certification dated June 15, 2017." It can be recalled that PAGCOR presented during a Senate committee hearing a bank guarantee purportedly issued by Soleil to Global ComRCI in the amount of $25 million in compliance with a capital requirement set by PAGCOR in contracting an independent auditor for POGOs.

The letter further stated that SCB does not have within its records any accounts under the name Global ComRCI as such entity is not a client of the bank. SCB even said in its letter to the senator that it does not engage in banking business, it does not have an office in the Philippines, and its supposed office address in the Philippines is spurious. During the last hearing, the supposed bank certificate from Soleil which was presented by PAGCOR officials bore the office address Suite 2704A West Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange Center, Exchange Road, Ortigas Commercial Center, Pasig City.

Gatchalian said the letter was in response to a letter request made by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by him, in relation to the validity of the bank guarantee with the aim of establishing the credibility of POGO operations in the country.

"The letter I received from Soleil was signed by Govind Srivastava and Balwinder Kaur. But if we look back on our past hearings, the bank guarantee from Soliel that was presented by PAGCOR was also signed by Govind Srivastava," said Gatchalian.

"Malinaw na peke ang bank guarantee na isinumite ng third party contractor sa PAGCOR. Dahil dito, kaduda-duda ang idineklarang kita ng mga POGO dahil lumalabas na walang kredibilidad ang proseso ng pag-audit," he stressed.

In the same letter, the bank also expressed confidence that those involved in the issuance of the fake bank guarantee will be held accountable by the court. "We trust that this matter has been clarified and hope that whoever may have committed this forgery will be dealt with accordingly in the proper court of law," the letter stated.

Bangko na umano'y nagsertipika sa auditor ng POGO nagsalita na --Gatchalian

Mariing itinanggi ng Soleil Chartered Bank (SCB), na naka base sa New York, ang pagbibigay ng bank certificate sa third party auditor ng Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) na Global ComRCI consortium upang manalo ito ng P6 bilyong kontrata sa Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) sa pag-audit ng mga POGO, bagay na nag-udyok kay Senador Win Gatchalian na ipanawagan ang agarang pagsasantabi ng kontrata.

"Hindi na dapat magpatuloy ang kontrata sa pagitan ng PAGCOR at Global ComRCI," giit ni Gatchalian, na nakatanggap ng isang liham mula sa Soleil na may petsang Pebrero 13, 2023.

Ibinunyag ni Gatchalian na ang liham ay naglalaman ng tahasang pagtanggi mula sa Soleil na nagsasaad na hindi ito kailanman nag-isyu ng anumang bank certificate sa Global ComRCI. Ang paglalahad na ito ay upang maalis na raw ang anumang pagdududa. Matatandaang iprinisinta ng PAGCOR sa pagdinig sa Senado ang bank guarantee, na may petsang Hunyo 15, 2017, na sinasabing inisyu raw ng Soleil sa Global ComRCI na may halagang $25 milyon bilang pagsunod sa capital requirement na itinakda ng PAGCOR sa pagkontrata sa isang third party auditor na kikilatis sa kinikita at buwis na binabayaran ng mga kumpanya ng POGO sa bansa.

Nakasaad pa sa liham ng Soleil o SCB sa senador na walang rekord sa kanila ang kumpanyang nagngangalang Global ComRCI dahil hindi nila ito kliyente. Dagdag pa ng SCB na wala itong opisina sa Pilipinas at peke ang inaakalang address ng opisina nito sa Pilipinas. Kung matatandaan sa huling pagdinig ng Senado, ang diumano'y bank certificate mula sa Soleil na iprinisinta ng mga opisyal ng PAGCOR ay naglalaman ng ibang address ng opisina -- Suite 2704A West Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange Center, Exchange Road, Ortigas Commercial Center, Pasig City.

Ang naturang liham ay tugon sa kahilingan ng Senate Committee on Ways and Means, na pinamumunuan ni Gatchalian, kaugnay ng kredibilidad ng bank guarantee upang maitaguyod naman ang kredibilidad ng Global ComRCI.

"Ang liham na natanggap ko mula sa Soleil ay pirmado nina Govind Srivastava at Balwinder Kaur. Pero kung babalikan natin ang mga nakaraang pagdinig, ang bank guarantee mula umano sa Soliel na iprinisinta ng PAGCOR ay pirmado din ng isang Govind Srivastava," ani Gatchalian.

"Malinaw na peke ang bank guarantee na isinumite ng third party contractor sa PAGCOR. Dahil dito, kaduda-duda ang idineklarang kita ng mga POGO dahil lumalabas na walang kredibilidad ang proseso ng pag-audit," diin niya.

Sa parehong liham, nakasaad ang tiwala ang bangko na ang bagay na ito ay naliwanagan na at umaasa na ang sinumang may kagagawan ng pamemekeng ito ay haharap sa batas.