Pagcor chief denies conflict of interest in family business

There was no conflict of interest when his family's construction firm Nationstar Development Corp. bagged a contract with the government, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said yesterday.

- By RAINIER ALLAN RONDA

"There is no conflict of interest because under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) and the Code of Conduct of Government Employees (RA 6713), conflict of interest occurs when a public official has direct or indirect financial or pecuniary interest in any business contract or transaction in which they must intervene in their official capacity," Tengco said in a statement.

He was disputing a Rappler article that implied his closeness to the family of President Marcos had enabled the Nationstar Development Corp., which he founded in 2015, to win government contracts, particularly with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

"For one, my position as chairman and CEO of PAGCOR has no direct or indirect influence in the awarding of public works contracts to Nationstar," he said.

"For another, I have fully divested all my interests in Nationstar when I assumed the top PAGCOR post in 2022, thus eliminating any potential conflict of interest. I actually started divesting my holdings to my children in 2019," he added.