President Duterte Orders Arrest Of Gambling Operator Jack Lam After Bribing Government Officials

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the arrest of online gaming operator Jack Lam, who was accused of bribing government officials.

PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa aired the president’s order over Radio DZBB on Saturday, December 3.

“Ipinapaaresto si Jack Lam dahil sa mga kasong bribery at economic sabotage. Galit na galit si Pangulong Duterte,” Dela Rosa said.

He added that the President also ordered for the immediate shutdown of Lam’s gambling operations.

Furthermore, the PNP Chief Dela Rosa had asked the public’s help in locating Lam.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday issued a lookout order against Lam following the order of President Duterte to arrest the Chinese businessman.

In an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order dated December 5, the DOJ ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to include Lam’s name on its watchlist, even amid reports that the Chinese national already left the country last Tuesday.

According to the DOJ, the issuance of the order is in action to the verbal order of President Duterte to arrest Lam after he allegedly tried to bribe the Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to release the more than 1,000 undocumented Chinese nationals working at the online gaming business he owns.

The DOJ also asked the BI to monitor Lam’s whereabouts and coordinate with the Department and the Philippine National Police concerning the order and its enforcement.

In a press conference last Thursday Aguirre said Lam tried to bribe him and Philippine Gaming Corporation chief Andrea Domingo in separate occasions, in exchange of protection for his illegal gaming business.

The meeting with Lam, according to Aguirre, was to tackle the detention of the 1,300 Chinese nationals arrested in Fontana Leisure Park in Clark, Pampanga.

The Chinese nationals employed to operate in the unlicensed online gambling business owned by Lam were arrested in an operation conducted by the NBI and the PNP last November 24.

Immigration Spokesperson Ma. Antonette Mangrobang on Sunday confirmed that Lam, with Chinese name Lam Yin Lok, departed the country on October 29 on board a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong.

Sources: Manila Bulletin, Sunstar