MANILA, Philippines– Porac, Pampanga Mayor Jaime Capil surrendered on Tuesday to the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 265 and posted bail for graft charges tied to the controversial POGO hub operating in his town.
Court records show that Capil submitted a cash bond of ₱630,000, after which the court—finding that all legal requirements had been met—lifted and recalled the arrest order dated November 27 and the warrant of arrest issued on November 28.
His arraignment and pre-trial hearing have been set for December 11 at 1:30 p.m.
In a statement issued after his surrender, Capil denied going into hiding and insisted he had been following court procedures.
“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 pagmamahal at pang-unawa ng aking mga kababayan,” he said.
“Bukas po tuloy po ako sa paglulungkod muli sa inyo, Poraqueños,” he added.
Capil is facing seven counts of graft over allegations that he allowed the illegal POGO hub Lucky South 99 to operate in Porac in 2024.
In April, the Office of the Ombudsman ruled that he was liable for gross neglect of duty, ordering his dismissal from office, the forfeiture of his retirement benefits, and imposing a lifetime ban from holding any government position.
Despite this, Capil won re-election as mayor in May.
Under Rule 114 of the Rules of Court, the recommended bail is ₱90,000 in total for the seven counts, and may be posted through corporate surety, property bond, cash deposit, or recognizance.
