If this is not a glaring double standard, we do not know what to call it.

Why is it wrong for the country’s top judicial official to accept “unlimited courtesy air travel of the highest class of service; waiver of applicable taxes, fees, fuel, and insurance surcharges; free baggage allowance of four pieces at 23 kilos per piece on transpacific flights to North America, 60 kilos on other international and domestic flights, and 20 kilos on express flights; four access to lounge privileges worldwide, including four traveling companions,” and right  for Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairman Cristino Naguiat to receive perks and privileges from a Japanese gambling tycoon?   

Malacañang sees nothing bad with Naguiat’s admission of having been offered and accepted such  special treats. 

True, the two are not equal in rank, but both are still public officials who are forbidden to accept any gift or favor from persons or entities he or she is dealing with.

But Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda downplayed the issue between Pagcor and American firm Wynn Resorts Ltd. whose chief executive Steve Wynn accused officials of the  state casino operator of receiving $110,000 payment from Kazuo Okada.

Lacierda said this is the position taken by no less than President Aquino.

“He (Aquino) was made aware (of the issues). That’s precisely what he said, the explanation given by Chairman Bong Naguiat. It’s an industry practice,” he was quoted by a major broadsheet as saying. “In that perspective where we’re able to save on cost and it’s an industry practice...In the matter of being able to save on costs, that is beneficial to the government and Naguiat never profited from it personally anyway,” he added.

Getting perks and privileges from foreign gaming companies is not entirely a taboo, according to Lacierda, especially if the government can cut its operational costs, noting that sponsoring a convention in a foreign country where the standard of living is very costly is better.

“I think it has been very clear that the provisional license was not granted by this administration but previously granted in 2008,” he said.

Pagcor reportedly awarded Okada’s group with a contract to build a hotel-resort complex in the Entertainment City during the time of Naguiat’s predecessor, Efraim Genuino.

As Pagcor chairman, Naguiat is the chief regulator of the gaming industry in the country.   

Wynn, 70, accused Okada, 69, of making improper payments and gifts totaling about $110,000 to Filipino gaming regulators as the latter’s Universal Entertainment Corp. broke ground at the 12-hectare Pagcor Entertainment City in Manila Bay.

Universal Entertainment’s subsidiary is Tiger Resorts, Leisure and Entertainment Inc.

The entertainment complex was dubbed as Manila’s counterpart of the Las Vegas strip in United States.

Aside from accusing Okada of improper payments to foreign gaming regulators, Wynn Resorts Ltd. also forcibly bought back Okada’s 20-percent stake in the casino company at a deep discount.

Okada was also asked to resign as director of Wynn Resorts, the company said, adding that it will also recommend that he be removed as a director from the board of its Hong Kong subsidiary, Wynn Macau Ltd.

Pagcor is the biggest source of non-tax revenues and the third biggest contributor to the national treasury.

It generated a total of P3.36 billion in revenues in January this year, an increase of P600 million or 22 percent during the same month last year.