Grace Poe
Suncity Group denied yesterday that it has made any campaign contributions to Philippine senator and presidential candidate Grace Poe, in response to various reports last month claiming that documents traced donations amounting to PHP150 million (USD3.22 million) in “political donations” from a Subsidiary of the VIP gaming consolidator.
“Suncity Group has never donated campaign contributions through any way or to any candidate,” the company said in a statement. “There is no doubt that the reports are misrepresentations, groundless and totally false,” it continued, adding that such reports have “resulted in a serious impact” to the operator.
The statement echoes earlier denials from Grace Poe who refuted allegations that she had received donations from any organization linked to Suncity Group.
The Daily Tribune, the newspaper that broke the news last month asserting that donations had taken place, said that the alleged contributions may have breached Philippine laws banning companies from making donations for election purposes.
However, Suncity maintained that the reports were false. “We strongly condemned [sic] all untrue reports and reserve the right to take further legal action,” the group said.
In a separate case, a Philippine senate inquiry held earlier this week continued to investigate the theft of more than USD81 million from Bangladesh Bank, linked to two Macau-based junket operators, one of which is part of Suncity Group.
A suspected PHP903 million (USD19.5 million) is thought to have flowed to Chau Cheok Wa of Suncity Group.
According to a Nikkei report lawyers for the junket operator said that they will submit a report to the Philippine senate once they complete accounting for the funds. DB
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