A joint committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday called for an immediate and decisive crackdown on 402 illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) nationwide to put an end to the widespread criminal activities linked to them.
The call was made during the joint meeting of the Committee on Public Order and Safety and the Committee on Games and Amusements, as it began its motu proprio inquiry upon the instructions of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez into the proliferation of criminal activities associated with illegal POGOs.
Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez, chair of the Public Order and Safety Committee, highlighted the need for interagency cooperation to address the growing problem involving POGOs.
Fernandez said the mayors and heads of Business Permits and Licensing Offices (BPLO) in cities and municipalities hosting POGO hubs must take responsibility for verifying and enforcing the closure of these illegal operations.
Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez likewise underscored the critical responsibility of local government units (LGUs) in ensuring the cessation of illegal POGO activities.
“So since they’re still operating in different LGUs, it is also the responsibility of the mayors to make sure that they’re not operating anymore,” Gomez said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“The BPLO must ensure that they’re also not operating, that they should be canceled, they should be closed. That is the job of the LGU. So that is still running in LGUs. That also must be investigated, must be questioned,” he added.
It was revealed during the hearing that while there are 78 legal POGO operations supervised by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), a significant number of illegal operators continue to function.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) provided intelligence on the locations and operations of 402 illegal POGOs across the country. Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, the PAOCC executive director, said the 402 includes canceled POGOs, as well as identified scam farms.
The role of LGUs was particularly emphasized following recent raids on POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac, and Porac, Pampanga. These operations uncovered extensive illegal activities, including human trafficking and other criminal enterprises, highlighting the need for local authorities to be vigilant and proactive.
