LAWMAKERS yesterday urged the Marcos administration to start speaking against Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), saying the industry’s social cost has been proven to be “too high.”
This developed as the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) filed criminal charges against two Chinese nationals in connection with the illegal activities inside a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga, which was raided by the authorities last month.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chair of the House committee on dangerous drugs, said there is a need for the government to adopt a stronger position against POGOs as its social cost is not commensurate to revenues the country is collecting from its operations.
“The administration should already start talking about this,” Barbers said in Filipino during a press conference where he called on the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) to name the former Cabinet official who it said lobbied for POGO hubs.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality which is investigating the ills of POGOs at the Senate, also urged the President to start acting against POGOs.
She said that while President Marcos Jr is pushing back against China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Chief Executive seems to be dragging his feet when it comes to POGOs. “What is the President waiting for?” she told ANC in Filipino.
In January last year, the President said he was not rushing to ban POGOs because the crackdown should be against because the illegal ones as legal POGOs pay taxes.
Barbers said the Pagcor has to name the former Cabinet official who allegedly helped secure gaming licenses for some POGO hubs because the House will eventually invite the ex-official to attend its investigation.
“That’s why we’re urging the Pagcor management, identify who that Cabinet official is.
Disclosing the names should not be in suspense. If there was an offense or a mistake committed, then Pagcor should immediately say who are the people behind it,” he said.
Pagcor said on Saturday a former Cabinet official has lobbied for POGO hubs which were later raided after they were used as fronts for human trafficking, money laundering, kidnapping, prostitution, and scamming activities, among other crimes. The agency did not name the official but said Pagcor chairman Alfredo Tengco will identify the ex-Cabinet man “in the proper forum.”
CHARGES
The PAOCC charged Qin Ren Gou, 37, and Jiang Shi Guang, 41, both from Hebei province in China, with violation of Section 4(a) of Republic Act (RA 9208 as amended by RA 10364 or the Anti-Human Trafficking Act and Article 294 (robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons), Article 263 (serious physical injuries), and Article 267 (kidnapping and serious illegal detention) of the Revised Penal Code.
Deputy City Prosecutor Darwin Canete declined to identify the complainants for security reasons. He only said they are also Chinese nationals, The two charged are under PAOCC custody as they were arrested in the Porac raid.
Canete said the respondents allegedly employed workers from abroad to work in the said POGO hub located in the compound of Lucky South 99 at Grand Palazzo Royale, Royal Park, Fil-Am Friendship Highway in Angeles City, Pampanga, through the use of force or intimidation.
Canete said one of the complainants said he was tortured inside a room for several days while tied to a bed frame.
The case is set to undergo preliminary investigation to determine if there is probable cause to elevate the case to the court for trial.
UNLICENSED POGOS
Barbers called Filipinos behind illegal POGOs “Makabagong (Modern) Makapili” for
allowing Chinese criminal syndicates to do their illegal activities in the country.
The “Makapili” were Filipino traitors who collaborated with the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.
The administration lawmaker also urged Tengco to make public all POGOs operating without licenses, saying POGOs, “whether licensed, legitimate or illegal are nothing but fronts for criminal activities.”
“Ranging from money-laundering, drug trafficking, human trafficking, protecting criminal syndicates engaged in murders, kidnapping, torture, rape and up to engaging in POGO politics, name it and surely it is all there. POGO is the one-stop shop of criminal activities,” Barbers said.
Barbers also warned the Bureau of Immigration against granting working visas to foreigners from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries in exchange for bribes, saying Vietnamese, Malaysians, and Indonesians are out to replace Chinese workers in POGOs because they can enter the Philippines without visas.
“We are not done yet with our investigations so I am warning these agencies not to extend working visas to these new arrivals who are being used to replace Chinese employees in the POGOs,” he said.
SECURITY
The PNP said it is prepared to provide security to agents of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), who were part of teams that raided POGOS and who are now receiving death threats.
“If indeed there are credible and imminent threats, we can provide them police assistance in terms of security so that we can provide protection to those subjects of grave threats,” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said in a press conference in Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Fajardo also encouraged those subject of death threats to give official statements to authorities.
PAOCC chief Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz on Monday said the agency’s personnel and witnesses against POGOs have been receiving death threats. He said those behind the threats are trying prevent the witnesses from telling investigators what they know.
Fajardo also asked the public to report policemen involved in POGO operations.
“If there are cops, who are engaged in illegal activities related to POGOs, we will never tolerate such acts,” she said Fajardo.
Earlier, the PNP has said it is looking into possible police involvement in illegal POGO activities. — With Ashzel Hachero and Gerard Naval