The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has been pressed to publicize the lists of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in the country to determine whether they have issued licenses to firms found to be involved in criminal activities.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers, chairperson of the House committee on dangerous drugs, made the call on Monday amid reports that a former Cabinet official allegedly tried to facilitate the grant of licenses to some illegal POGOs.

"POGOs, whether licensed, legitimate or illegal are nothing but fronts for criminal activities," the lawmaker said.

Barbers have no qualms about deeming POGOs as a one-stop shop for illicit activities, including money laundering, drug, and human trafficking, and protector of syndicates engaged in murders, kidnapping, torture, rape, and even politics in the offshore gaming industry.

"If we continue to allow their operations, we will all be consumed by its corrupt and criminal system until it becomes the accepted norm and our society becomes worthless," he lamented.

"POGOs are a curse that have to be taken out from our system."

PAGCOR chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco over the weekend said that those investigating the suspicious activities of former POGO licensees should likewise look into the role of former officials and their conduits that may have granted licenses to POGO applicants with dubious backgrounds.

On Monday, PAGCOR, the sole responsible for the issuance of provisional licenses to POGOs, stated that legitimate POGOs have dropped from 46 to 42 after they canceled one license and suspended three.

Nevertheless, Barbers issued a stern warning to the officials of PAGCOR, saying they would be subject to sanctions should it be proven that they are involved in the issuance of licenses to POGOs raided for illegal operations.

"If it is proven that all those raided POGOs engaged in criminal activities have been licensed, or that other licensed POGOs being protected and sponsored by some influential and notorious characters are found to be havens for criminal activities, we will make sure that those negligent, incompetent and corrupt will be punished," he pointed out.

 Several legislators castigated PAGCOR for falling short of adequately supervising licensed POGOs, including those in Bamban, Tarlac, found to be involved in human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and fraudulent cryptocurrency investment operations.

Congress also saw an increase in bills pushing to totally ban POGOs, also known as internet gaming licensees (IGLs), in light of the spike in reports linking the offshore gaming industry to barbaric activities, such as murder, kidnapping for ransom, rape, prostitution, torture, among others.