The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has set its sights on “around 58 to 200” illegal Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators (POGOs) who are still doing business in the country in defiance to President Marcos’ ban.
“We are still receiving many reports that these illegal [POGOs] are still going on. We’re taking seriously the order of the president that by the end of the year, all of that is gone,” PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said in a televised interview on Wednesday.
He explained that since the President announced the ban during his State of the Nation Address (SONA), the agency has been unrelentless in taking down illegal POGO activities.
It was explained, however, that legitimate POGO-led operations are being allowed ample time to wind down their affairs.
Casio said that by October 16, employees of such online gaming enterprises should be doing purely administrative work ahead of their departure before yearend.
“Whether it’s legal or illegal, they should really be closing down. They should be winding down. That’s why we’re talking to the OIC of PAGCOR again about how to close even the legal [POGOs]. It’s really difficult. because they still have administrative matters that must be settled such as the payment of fees to DOLE, BIR, and separation pay if any,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III called for a thorough inventory of government properties following reports that an recently-raided illegal POGO hub in Pasay City was situated on land owned by Philippine National Construction Corporation.
Pimentel, a vocal critic of POGOs, emphasized the need to prevent the government from becoming a de facto partner of illegal gambling operations and other criminal activities.
“We need to ensure that the government is not unwittingly and indirectly becoming a partner of POGO operations,” he said.
For his part, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the suspension of local officials in Porac, Pampanga by the Office of the Ombudsman should be a lesson for other local government unit (LGUs) leaders to heed the President’s total ban policy on POGOs.
“This should serve as a lesson for local officials out there who continue to tolerate illegal operations of POGOs in their localities despite the President’s directive for a total ban,” he stressed.
It can be recalled that Ombudsman Samuel Martires ordered the suspension of Porac Mayor Jaime Capil, Vice Mayor Francis Laurence Tamayo, and councilors Rohner Buan, Rafael Canlapan, Adrian Carreon, Regin Clarete, Essel Joy David, Hilario Dimalanta, Michelle Santos, and John Nuevy Venzon, as well as Business Permit and Licensing Office OIC Emerald Vital.
They were charged with Gross Neglect of Duty in connection with the operation of the Lucky South 99 POGO hub in their town.
As this developed, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said there is no indication that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who is suspected of having deep connections with POGOs, has left the country.
“There are no travel records monitored by the agency of any recent travel made by former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who is the subject of an arrest order issued by the House of Representatives,” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said.
BI officers in all international ports and seaports in the country were alerted to report any attempt by Roque to leave the country, she said.
