Porac POGO hub ‘big boss’ collared

Clark Freeport — Authorities reported that a Chinese national believed to be a manager of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga was arrested during a raid at Clark Leisure Park on Thursday.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Police Major General Leo Francisco disclosed that the suspect was apprehended after a search warrant was served.

“He is allegedly one of the big bosses in the POGO hub in Porac,” Francisco said. “We are now looking for more personalities linked to the illegal POGOs in Porac and Bamban, Tarlac.”

Francisco also revealed that 14 safety vaults were confiscated from five villas within the Clark Leisure Park, adding that the suspect is facing charges that include human trafficking, physical injury, and violations of the Access Devices Regulation Act.

Authorities are also looking into other suspects who might have continued small-scale POGO operations after the raids in Central Luzon.

Meanwhile, a separate operation by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the PNP targeted five villas at the Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino allegedly rented by business associates of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

The search warrant, issued by Judge Hermenegildo Dumlao II of Malolos, Bulacan, aimed to apprehend those running the POGO hub in Porac.

PAOCC Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said authorities are confident of arresting the suspects soon.

A former police officer, Arnel Balagtas, was found in one of the villas during the raid and claimed to be a driver for Chinese casino junket staff. Billing receipts, a shotgun with ammunition and nine vaults were seized by authorities.

In a related development, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) will finalize next week the cases to be filed against Guo which include a quo warranto petition and the possible cancellation of her birth certificate based on a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) finding that her fingerprints matched those of a Chinese national named Guo Hua Ping.

“This evidence will be extremely useful,” Guevarra said.

Meantime, Porac Mayor Jing Capil clarified that the local government has no authority to conduct raids on POGOs but has supported the calls of Senator Risa Hontiveros and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian for its total ban, which is now called Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs).

He cited that POGOs have “minimal economic benefit and the disproportionate social costs brought by the POGO establishments, coupled with the challenges in regulatory enforcement as demonstrated in Senate hearing.”

Capil has also said “the suggestion to break the premises of the POGO site after the refusal of the guards may not be in accordance with the law.”

The official cited that the Rules and Regulations for POGO (RR-POGO) approved by the PAGCOR Board of Directors on 1 September 2016 indicated the government agency as the regulator of gaming licenses operating in the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines on land or on sea.

It also indicated that for monitoring purposes, licensee shall allow inspection of the premises, machines and equipment at any given time upon request of PAGCOR’s monitoring team.