Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco has firmly denied accusations that government construction projects awarded to his family's company constitute a conflict of interest, stating that he does not intervene in public works contracting and no longer holds any financial stake in the firm.
In a statement released today, Tengco emphasized that conflict of interest under RA 3019 and RA 6713 applies only when a public official has a direct or indirect financial interest in a business involved in matters they must decide on in their official capacity.
"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.
He added that Nationstar, founded in 2015, has operated legitimately for years and has completed projects for both government and private clients. Tengco pointed to retrofit and fit-out work undertaken during the administrations of former presidents Benigno Aquino III and Rodrigo Duterte, including projects within Malacañang, as evidence of the company's established credibility.
Nationstar was also contracted during the pandemic to build modular hospitals across the country and more recently completed facilities such as the senior high school building for Ateneo de Manila, which helped qualify the firm for the Western Visayas State University project mentioned in recent reports.
Tengco further clarified that the Davao City bypass road project was awarded to a consortium, not to Nationstar alone. "Singling out my close ties with the Marcos family would therefore seem very selective," he said, adding that the firm's bidding history reflects fair competition and professional integrity.
He noted that it is up to Congress to review whether conflict-of-interest laws need to be strengthened, but maintained that Nationstar's operations stand on legitimate business foundations independent of political affiliations.
Tengco said he fully divested from Nationstar Development Corporation when he assumed leadership of PAGCOR in 2022
