But he said he had nothing to do with it since it was his wife who was dealing with the workers.
He said he doesn’t even know how many of the workers are staying in the hotel.
They are allowed to stay there until Oct. 23.
The workers have been in the hotel since July 23, or more than two weeks after he resigned from the commission, Songao said.
He said it was the “personal choice” of the workers to stay in the hotel.
“They begged my wife if they could stay in the hotel,” he added.
Songao, a former senator, said he wants them to stay in the hotel for only two months because he has other clients.
“I don’t want to turn our hotel into a barracks,” he added.
Rota Casino and Gaming Commission Executive Director Alfredo O. Antolin said Songao did not engage in any conflict of interest during his tenure as chairman.
Antolin reiterated that the allegations that commissioners have benefited from the casino operation are all “rumors and untrue.”
“The [commission] is saddened that while Rota is trying to build its casino industry there are some people in the community who are creating the impropriety and self-destruction among themselves,” he said.
Songao said the “unfounded allegations” against him may be due to the “jealousy” of his competitors.
He said he never received any complaint of “conflict of interest” against himself and the other commissioners while has was still the chairman.
One of the reasons he resigned was due to the lack of support to operate the gaming commission, Songao said.
“Funding is the bottom-line here. We don’t get support from the Legislature but other than that, the commission is doing good,” he said.
A Rota resident said two commissioners were able to get a contract to renovate the casino hotel and house its workers in their apartments.
But Antolin said “it is untrue that a member of the [commission] is renovating his place of business for the Rota hotel casino employees.”
“It is also untrue that one of the commissioners had received a contract to repair and make renovations for Rota hotel casino; this is simply a false accusation,” he added.
Instead of spreading false rumors, Antolin said the people should support the casino industry so it can successfully benefit everyone.
The commissioners, he added, continue to focus on an applicant’s conditional casino license and continued compliance with the rules and regulations so that the casino can have a successful grand opening on Oct. 10.
“We ask the community to support this endeavor,” he said.
