PORAC, Pampanga—Vice Mayor Francis “Jen” Capil officially assumed the role of acting mayor on Monday, following the enforcement of a 90-day preventive suspension against her father, Mayor Jaime “Jing” Capil, in connection with alleged irregularities involving a dismantled Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub.
DILG Provincial Director Myra Soriano confirmed that the Department of the Interior and Local Government served the suspension order last Friday. The legal directive stemmed from a resolution issued on Feb. 23 by Acting Presiding Judge Josephine Advento of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 265. This judicial action follows a criminal complaint lodged by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) involving seven counts of violating Republic Act No. 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Court records indicate that the elder Capil is accused of granting unwarranted benefits and preference to Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Inc. Prosecutors allege the mayor issued a business permit to the firm despite its failure to meet legal requirements for such an operation. The POGO hub, which occupied a sprawling 10-hectare compound near the boundary of Angeles City and Porac, became the center of a national scandal after authorities uncovered evidence of human trafficking, torture, and financial scams within the facility.
Judge Advento’s order emphasized that the preventive suspension is a standard legal procedure intended to prevent an incumbent official from using their office to influence witnesses or tamper with evidence while a case is pending. While Capil’s legal team previously argued that the suspension was “no longer necessary or reasonable” given the advanced stage of the investigation, the court maintained the necessity of the measure to ensure the integrity of the judicial process.
The embattled mayor had earlier secured his temporary liberty in December 2025 by posting a cash bond totaling P630,000. Despite his release, the graft charges remain a significant hurdle as investigators scrutinize why the local government failed to conduct inspections of the Lucky South 99 premises, even as reports of prostitution and illegal detention began to surface.
Acting Mayor Jen Capil, who took her oath to ensure the continuity of local government operations, is expected to manage the municipality’s day-to-day affairs until the suspension expires or a final judgment is rendered. Local observers noted that the transition comes at a critical time for Porac as the town seeks to distance itself from the stigma of the illegal POGO operations that once thrived in its jurisdiction.
Sources:
- Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).
- Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Case Filings, 2025-2026.
- Regional Trial Court Branch 265, Pasig City, Resolution dated Feb. 23, 2026.
- Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Province of Pampanga Official Report.
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