The Senate committee investigating Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) is set to wrap up its probe on November 26, but not before is examines how Chinese spies managed to entered the country by posing as employees of gaming enterprises.
“We have gathered new information, particularly regarding the presence of Chinese spies in the Philippines through POGOs,” Senator Risa Hontiveros told the Kapihan sa Senado forum on Thursday.
She also noted that there are still significant ambiguities within the Executive Order banning POGOs in the country, citing the need to pass laws that would fill policy gaps associated with the proliferation of POGO-led enterprises and related activities.
Among these gaps, the Senator said, is the one that allows some POGOs to evade the industry ban by registering their businesses as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firms.
“Right now, POGOs are still definitely here. They are getting really creative. They are finding ways to change their identities… pretending to be simple and legal BPOs. My informers tell me that certain government officials have been advising them [on circumventing the POGO ban],” Hontiveros noted.
She, however, declined to name the involved government officials.
“We will introduce the legislative reforms that need to be pushed in the Senate during the next hearing. The committee aims to resolve all outstanding matters during the hearing on Tuesday,” said Hontiveros, who chairs the Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality panel.
With the budget deliberations now concluded in the Senate, she indicated that it is an appropriate time to hold the final hearing on POGOs and the case of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo.
Hontiveros previously announced that Lin Xunhan, also known as Lyu Dong and the alleged kingpin of POGOs, will be invited to the Senate’s next and final hearing on the issue.
Senators are particularly interested in understanding Lin’s connections to the dismissed mayor of Bamban and their involvement in POGO operations.
Hontiveros mentioned that Lin’s alias had been referenced in a previous hearing and stated, “Now that he has been arrested, the details regarding POGO and his involvement will come to light.”
She commended the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission for capturing Lin Xunhan, also referred to as “Boss Boga,” on October 10, calling the arrest a significant achievement in the fight against POGOs.
Additionally, she praised the Bureau of Immigration and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Joint Special Operations Group, along with its Intelligence Service, for their efforts in identifying and apprehending key figures behind POGO scam hubs.
The senator expressed hope that other POGO “big bosses,” such as Duanren Wu, Zhang Jie, and Huang Zhiyang, will soon be apprehended as well.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Senate sets POGO final hearing on Nov. 26—Hontiveros”
