SENATE deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros yesterday called on proper authorities to urgently enforce RA 12010, or the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA), following the discovery of an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub in Cebu which led to the rescue of more than 160 foreigners over the weekend.
In a statement, Hontiveros said the AFASA, which was passed into law last month, is intended to combat financial cybercrimes, safeguard the interests of financial consumers, and uphold the integrity of the financial system.
She said that the law, if properly enforced, can prevent the continued operation of POGOs, which have been ordered banned by President Marcos Jr. during his third State of the Nation Address last July.
“The rescue of nearly 100 Indonesian nationals highlights the urgent need to enforce RA 12010, the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA). Hindi tayo papayag na ginagawang headquarters ng scammers ang Pilipinas (We must not allow scammers to use the Philippines as the headquarters for their operations),” Hontiveros said.
Law enforcement agencies led by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Saturday rescued 162 foreigners after it raided an illegal POGO hub operating at the Tourist Garden Hotel in Barangay Agus, Lapu-lapu City in Cebu.
The operation stemmed from a request of the Indonesian embassy after two of its illegally detained citizens escaped from the POGO facility and informed authorities that around 60 other Indonesians were being held against their will in the hotel.
Aside from Indonesians, the PAOCC also rescued Chinese, Malaysians, Taiwanese, and Burmese.
The foreigners were reportedly engaged in scamming activities, such as “love scams” and cryptocurrency scams. Computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices were seized during the operation.
Hontiveros said the people or groups behind the scam hub should be held accountable “to deter future scams (and) provide justice to the victims.”
Hontiveros said one of the main reasons that the Senate has been investigating the illegal operations of POGOs is to craft a measure to ensure their shutdown.
“Our hearings established that these POGOs are run by organized and syndicated criminal groups complicit with some public officials. Kaya determinado rin tayong panagutin ang mga opisyal na nagbigay-daan at patuloy na nagpapatakbo ng mga ito (That’s why we are bent on making these officials accountable for allowing the continued operations of illegal POGOs),” she said.
She said will come up with measures on how to strengthen the coordination between law enforcement agencies, regulatory agencies, and local government units to stop the operation of POGO facilities throughout the country.
She said the legislation will also make sure that rebranded
POGOs will not be allowed to operate.
“Unfortunately, sa kabila ng mga pahayag ng Pangulo sa kanyang SONA, patuloy ang underground operations ng mga POGO (Unfortunately, POGO Underground operations continue despite the President’s announcement in his SONA). So, I am calling on our law enforcement agencies to step up para ipatupad ang total ban ni Presidente (to implement the total ban as declared by the President),” she said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday said it has completed the profiling of 20,000 POGO workers, with less than four months left in the ultimatum set by President Marcos Jr. for POGOs to cease their operations.
In a phone interview, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said a partial count showed that about 20,000 soon-to-be-displaced POGO workers have been profiled by DOLE.
“Per the latest report provided to me, more or less more than 20,000 workers have been profiled already,” said Laguesma.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has previously estimated that about 40,000 workers shall be affected by the POGO ban.
Laguesma said they expect the profiling activities of the would-be affected workers to be completed within the week.
“If the remaining IGLs (Internet Gaming Licensees), which have not submitted the list of their employees, will submit the requested list, we can finish the profiling this week,” he said. — With Gerard Naval
