“What I am truly concerned about is the possibility the operation of illegal POGOs in the county is just a cover for some sleeper cells of China’s People’s Liberation Army”
THE ban on POGOs or Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators has received almost universal acceptance after President Marcos Jr. announced it at the end of his SONA or State of the Nation Address.
As we saw it, it was received with a standing ovation from those who attended the affair.
With the ban on POGOs, many of the country’s problems would be solved.
These include the entry of criminal syndicates from mainland China with links to local criminal syndicates, which have become a national threat.
Santa Banana, with the entry of Chinese criminal syndicates, there has been a proliferation of crimes and scams that have victimized not only the Chinese themselves, but Filipinos as well!
There had been kidnappings for ransom, torture, human trafficking, money laundering and even prostitution.
Above all, Santa Banana, cases of “fake Filipinos” with legitimate Philippine passports have been uncovered!
Clearly, the advantage of the ban far outweighs whatever the POGOs are paying in taxes to the government and the payment for licenses to operate.
Yes, some Filipino workers have been displaced by the ban, which has also included a ban on internet online gambling. But, this is minimal to the national threat the POGOs have made to the country.
With the ban on POGOs, now the problem the Philippine National Police must resolve is the operation of some illegal POGOs, some of them whose hubs have been raided.
Santa Banana, there is also the problem of POGOs being used by some local government executives, like Bamban, Tarlac’s suspended mayor Alice Guo, to cover their violations.
I have it on good authority the case of suspended Mayor Guo is not an isolated case. It could be only the tip of the iceberg.
With the banning of POGOs, some 20,000 Chinese POGO workers were given 60 days to leave the country. Those 20,000 Chinese to be deported could also be the tip of another iceberg.
Recall the notorious case of immigration people approving the entry of mainland Chinese through what was called the “pastillas” bribery scam, where Chinese passengers were allowed entry without screening in exchange for bribe money, which are rolled to look like pastillas, the Filipino carabao milk candy.
Just how many of these illegal Chinese entered the Philippines, we can only guess.
Just how many illegal POGOs have been operating, we can only guess too. My gulay, the POGO ban covers all POGOs.
The order of BBM to the PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Games Corporation) to wind up affairs of POGOs by year end would cover those that had been operating legitimately, but the existence of the illegal POGOs is another problem requiring extensive investigation by the police.
The way I see it is the POGO problem is far from being resolved by the ban. PAGCOR, the regulator of POGOs, can only do so much.
It’s for these reasons the POGO problem cannot be eradicated by simply banning them.
As I said, the case of the Bamban, Tarlac suspended mayor is not an isolated case.
There could be other local executives also linked with POGOs, since their licenses to operate are granted by local governments unts.
This is why I believe the Alice Guo case is not something to laugh about considering the link of POGOs to criminal activities.
What I am truly concerned about is the possibility the operation of illegal POGOs in the county is just a cover for some sleeper cells of China’s People’s Liberation Army.
Recall that during raids of POGO hubs, the police discovered uniforms of the PLA.
Just what is the angle on the POGOs has not been fully disclosed.
It would do well for the National Security Council to look further into it.
It is for all these reasons the country’s problems with POGOs cannot just stop with the ban on all the POGOs.
