PORAC, Pampanga Mayor Jaime Capil, who is facing graft charges in relation to the raided illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) in his town in 2024, voluntarily surrendered on Tuesday, December 2, 2025.
Accompanied by his lawyers, Capil presented himself to the Pasig City Regional Trial Court and posted bail worth P630,000.
"Gaya ng aking pagharap sa lahat ng pagsubok, ‘di po ako nagtatago. Sumusunod po ako sa batas. Salamat po sa pagmamahal at suporta ng lahat, sa aking pamilya, sa mga kaibigan at lalo na sa walang sawang pagmahahal at pangunawa ng aking mga kababayan. Bukas po tuloy po ako sa paglilingkod muli sa inyo, Poraquenos," Capil said in an interview with reporters.
The court set the arraignment and pre-trial on Capil’s case on December 11.
Capil is facing seven counts of graft over his alleged failure to regulate the operation of Lucky South 99, an illegal Pogo which was raided in Porac town in June 2024.
At least 186 foreign and Filipino workers were apprehended from the Pogo complex, including at least four individuals who were identified as kidnap victims.
Two of them were still handcuffed and full of bruises and torture marks when found by the police.
Capil signed the 2019 Mayor’s permit and 2019 municipal resolution of notice of no objection used to apply for the Pogo firm’s license, permit, and franchise in 2019.
In April 2025, Capil was dismissed from the post by the Office of the Ombudsman for gross neglect of duty.
He was, however, re-elected during the May 2025 national and local elections. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)