The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) convened law enforcement agencies and local government units in Metro Manila and parts of Luzon to tackle the heightened concerns about illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and scam farms in the country.
DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. called for a meeting at Camp Crame over this weekend, where he presided the discussions on peace and order as well as public safety issues, particularly in Central Luzon.
Abalos urged for a proactive approach in addressing criminalities brought about by illegal POGOs.
“We will no longer wait for this problem to happen. We should be proactive here, with all the visitorial powers as said was given to the mayors and given to the national local agency, we will work this out together so that we can map out illegal activities on the ground,” Abalos said during the meeting.
Among the attendees were Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Director Louie Puracan, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Tengco, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, and representatives from the Department of Justice, and Department of Labor and Employment.
Abalos said the government is keen to addressing the impact of illegal POGOs and scam farms in the region.
The PAOCC briefed the attendees on cybercrime hubs as it emphasized the importance of investigating and addressing these issues promptly.
Meanwhile, the DOJ representative provided an overview of prosecutions related to illegal POGOs.
For his part, Marbil presented the current landscape of scam farms in the country, reassuring the public that the PNP remains committed to eradicating illegal activities.
He then assured that the PNP would not tolerate anyone from its rank to be involved in illicit POGO activities.
Abalos reiterated that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the creation of a task force that will be mandated to effectively address the challenges posed by illegal POGOs in the country
Senators seek POGO ban
A day ahead of Marcos’ third State of the Nation Address, senators expressed hope that the President would support and make declaration on the calls to ban the POGO operations in the Philippines.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian lamented that POGOs are a source of various criminal activities, including human trafficking, torture, and online scams.
“It became clear that POGOs’ negative effects outweigh the benefits. I know that the President knows this and I am confident that he is listening to the mounting calls to expel POGO from the country,” Gatchalian said in Tagalog.
Former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, likewise, urged the President to make a statement on the issues related to illegal POGOs.
“[T]he issue of POGOs requires decisive action. The industry has been plagued by criminal activities and the social costs far outweigh the revenues. It is time for a clear policy on POGOs, whether it involves an immediate ban or a phased transition to other industries for affected workers,” he said.
Further, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel stressed that even business groups in the country are in favor of total ban on POGOs.
"If the President truly listens to the Filipino people, then PBBM should already ban POGOs immediately. No more distinction between legal and illegal POGOs. Make all POGOs (now called IGLs) illegal,” he said.
“Ang tunay na Bagong Pilipinas ay isang Pilipinas na Bawal POGO. BP = Bagong Pilipinas. BP = Bawal POGO. Patunayan na merong Bagong Pilipinas hindi lang daanin sa pagkanta kanta,” Pimentel added.