The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) on Thursday denied the existence of licensed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs located adjacent to military camps.

Pagcor chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco made the response in a radio interview after Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said rogue POGO sites near military installations should be shut down.

During the recent commemoration of Sweden’s National Day and reception honoring Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson, Teodoro said that POGOs operating in the Philippines can be a gateway for criminal syndicates to escape Beijing’s ban on gambling.

Teodoro made the call after security expert Chester Cabalza even referred to the POGO sites as a "Trojan horse" that China could exploit to launch a "surprise attack" against important military installations.

"I just want to inform Secretary Teodoro that there is no licensed Pogo hub located next to any military camp regulated by Pagcor," Tengco said in Filipino.

"Therefore, it is clear that those hubs claimed to be situated near military camps are illegal," Tengco added.

In the same radio interview, Tengco said some 255 former POGOs might have been illegaly operating in the country.

Tengco said 255 POGOs had their foreign gaming licenses canceled in September 2023 because of their unlawful activity.

He also pointed out that among the 250 offshore gambling sites whose licenses were withdrawn following Pagcor's investigation last year are the POGO sites in Porac and Bamban.

For context, Tengco eliminated operators involved in activities not approved by Pagcor by implementing reforms in the offshore gaming industry late last year. 

"Actually, those big ones — Bamban and Porac — they don't have licenses from Pagcor anymore," Tengco said.

“They used Pagcor's license for criminal activities, such as credit card fraud, investment fraud, cryptocurrency fraud, love match and love scam fraud,” he added.

Pagcor now calls its foreign gaming businesses as IGLs, or Internet Gaming Licensees, to distinguish them from illegal POGOs.

After the changes, there will be far fewer foreign gaming licensees—just 46 IGLs compared to 298 POGOs in 2023.

Tengco did note, though, that three of these 46 IGLs have now been suspended, leaving 43 licenses in use as of right now. 

Tengco added that since Pagcor holds important information on former POGOs, the organization subtly provides the authorities with information on their identities and whereabouts.

“We are pursuing them for the time being,” Tengco said.