SOLICITOR General Menardo Guevarra yesterday said an executive order is enough to enforce the ban on the operation of all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in the country.
Guevarra said the ban is a matter of government policy, and as such, the President’s decision to ban the operation of POGOs is within his authority.
“Under the law, all gaming operations fall under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, which in turn reports directly to the Office of the President. (So), an executive order or other administrative issuance is sufficient to implement the policy,” Guevarra told reporters.
“It is the President’s determination of what is good for the country after carefully weighing all competing interests,” Guevarra added.
Lawmakers from the Senate and the House of Representatives have vowed to continue ongoing committee hearings on the social ills caused by POGOs, especially those run by Chinese syndicates, and prioritize the approval of measures that would prohibit such firms from doing business in the country.
During this third State of the Nation Address last Monday, President Marcos Jr. ordered the closure of all POGOs by the end of this year and announced a total ban on all offshore gambling operations amid a public clamor to shut down the industry.
The Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation has said that it will cancel the licenses it has issued to 43 Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs) in compliance with the President’s order.
The Pagcor has renamed POGOs into IGLs to remove the negative image of the industry that was caused by the illegal activities associated with fly-by-night POGO hubs.
Pagcor has said the 43 licensed IGLs directly and indirectly employ around 40,000 Filipinos, while nearly 23,000 foreigners worked in the industry as of December 2023.
On Wednesday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) gave all foreign POGO and IGL workers 60 days to leave the country.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the BI had already deported more than 2,300 workers in scam hubs operating in the guise of gaming companies in the Philippines.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila backed the President’s POGO ban.
“We have noted President Marcos’ announcement of banning all POGOs and welcome this development. We believe this decision echoes the call of the Philippine people and serves the common interests of people of both countries,” the embassy said.
It added the Chinese government has been calling for the shutdown of offshore online gaming hubs in the for years now.
“The Chinese law prohibits”‚all forms of gambling. The Chinese government strictly cracks down on Chinese citizens engaging in overseas gambling businesses, including POGO.
POGO breeds serious crimes and gravely undermines the interests of both Philippine and Chinese peoples,” the embassy also said.
It said Chinese authorities are ready to continue their law enforcement cooperation with their Filipino counterparts to better “protect the safety and well-being” of Filipinos and Chinese.
