Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra. INQUIRER.NET PHOTO/CATHY MIRANDA
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has ordered the Office of the Corporate Government Counsel (OGCC) to review the agreement between Nayong Pilipino Foundation Inc. (NPF) and Landing Resorts Philippines Development Corp. (LRPDC).
The contract, which President Rodrigo Duterte described as 鈥渇lawed,鈥� led to the sacking of NPF officials.
In a text message on Thursday, Guevarra directed the OGCC to immediately conduct the review of 鈥渁ll relevant facts鈥� as well as 鈥渃ontracts, agreements, and other documents鈥� related to 鈥渢his questioned transaction.鈥�
鈥淚 have instructed the office of the government counsel, as statutory counsel of all Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations (GOCC), under the direct supervision of the Department of Justice (DOJ),鈥� Guevarra said.
The DOJ chief further said the review would also include 鈥渓egal opinions previously rendered by the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) to its client Nayong Pilipino Foundation Inc.鈥� He then instructed the government counsel 鈥渢o submit a report with recommendations on the proper course of action for the govt as soon as possible.鈥�
LRPDC, a subsidiary of Hong Kong鈥檚 Landing International Development Ltd., has a provisional license to operate a casino issued by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor).
The casino will be a part of its tourism project in coordination with NPF. They will reportedly develop a $1.5-billion casino-resort in NPF鈥檚 property at Entertainment City in Para帽aque.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held Tuesday, the same day Malaca帽ang announced that Duterte has fired the entire NPF board and management.
The NPF is a GOCC attached to the Department of Tourism.聽 /kga