Stop POGOs from defying Marcos ban — lawmaker
The call came amid reports that 200 of the about 400 POGO firms are still operating in defiance of the order of Marcos
Daily TribuneThe call came amid reports that 200 of the about 400 POGO firms are still operating in defiance of the order of Marcos
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
A lawmaker on Sunday needled law enforcement agencies to strictly enforce the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his third State of the Nation Address (SoNA).
The call came amid reports that 200 of the about 400 POGO firms are still operating in defiance of the order of Marcos.
Over the weekend, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) confirmed that POGOs are running rings around the shutdown order that was given to stop criminal activities like murder, cyber scams and human trafficking associated with it.
The POGOs are said to be defying the ban by claiming to be Internet Gaming Licensees.
“The report from PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz shows that hundreds of underground POGO operators are defying President Marcos’ directive,” Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said. “Secretary (Benhur) Abalos and Secretary (Jesus Crispin) Remulla should ensure this is strictly enforced.”
Because POGOs — legal or illegal — rely on the internet and mobile phones, which may contain information about their whereabouts, he underlined the significance of cooperation with the Department of Information and Communications Technology and telecommunications companies.
Marcos ordered the winding down of POGO operations within six months. Cruz reported that while many POGOs have been shut down, some firms have gone underground.
Dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo and her alleged accomplice Cassandra Li Ong, the authorized representative of Lucky South 99 and incorporator of Whirlwind Corporation, are among the high-profile figures believed to be involved in illegal POGOs.
