PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday ordered the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to intensify their operations and conduct smaller but multiple operations against Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that will continue to operate after December 15.
The President, during the 2nd Joint National Peace and Order Council (NPOC)-Regional Peace and Order Councils (RPOCs) meeting for 2024 in Camp Crame, also directed local chief executives to coordinate with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in going after POGOs in their respective jurisdictions.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, in a press briefing, said the President “stressed that there should be no more POGOs and IGL (internet gaming licensees)” next year.
The President, in his State of the Nation Address last July, ordered all POGOs in the country shut down by the end of the year and imposed a total ban in their operations.
“The deadline is fast approaching so there is a tendency that these illegal POGOs will break into small groups. The President wants these monitored with the help of the LGUs (local government units),” Fajardo said.
In a social media post on Wednesday night, the President said the permits and licenses of all POGOs and IGLs have already been cancelled and warned those who would attempt to continue to operate that they would be meted the full force of the law when they get caught.
“Kanselado na ang lahat ng lisensya ng POGO at IGL sa buong bansa! Hindi na kailanman papayagang manalasa ang mga ito. Sino mang magtangka na magsagawa ng ilegal na operasyon ay haharap sa buong pwersa ng ating batas (The licenses of all POGOs and IGLs in the country have already been cancelled. They would no longer be allowed to devastate the country. Whoever attempts to conduct illegal operations would face the full force of the law),” Marcos said in his Facebook and Instagram account.
Fajardo said the President told the PNP to ensure that business process outsourcing (BPO) firms will not be used as fronts or cover for illegal POGO operations.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has said that illegal POGO operations are expected to flourish once the ban takes effect.
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco has said that there are only seven licensed POGOs still operating in the country.
The figure, he said, is down from 60 during the SONA and from 300 when he assumed as Pagcor head in August 2022.
Tengco said that after December 15, licenses issued to POGOs and IGLs will be considered revoked.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO), in a news release, said that as of November 29 this year, 53,700 POGO licenses have been cancelled, while 18 IGLs voluntarily cancelled their licenses, and 27 others still in the process of winding down their operations.
Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) executive director Gilbert Cruz on Wednesday said they are set to go after more than 100 “rogue” or “guerilla” POGOs which are now being operated by former POGO employees and conducting businesses in apartments or houses, hotels or even resorts, and involve less people.
He also said the PAOCC is preparing to raid four “major” POGO hubs – three in the Mimaropa region and one “in a resort in the north.”
LGUs
Marcos said local government officials have the capability to determine suspicious illegal activities in their communities, especially those involved in POGO and other scam operations.
He said that “suspicious illegal activities, especially those concerning POGOs, should be monitored by the LGUs” and directed the DILG to step up the gathering of substantial intelligence information from local communities.
Remulla has earlier said that the DILG would come up with an executive order requiring all local chief executives to submit a report on suspicious activities and those similar to the setting up of illegal or rogue POGOs within their localities.
He said among the factors that local officials should look out for are the movement of foreigners who are setting up activities or businesses in their areas, and the congregation of groups in houses, and the spike in bandwidth use in an area.
