While the industry awaits detailed guidelines for the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), Senator Risa Hontiveros has raised concerns about the potential “rebranding” of these firms in the country.
According to local media outlet Inquirer, Hontiveros warned that POGOs might attempt to rebrand or find new ways to operate, such as transforming into call centers or relocating to special economic zones. She criticized these potential schemes as deceptive and unacceptable.
Her remarks followed the discovery of the first illegal POGO hub in Cebu, Visayas, where authorities rescued 162 foreign nationals, including six Indonesians who were initially sought after.
Hontiveros highlighted that these sophisticated scam operators are transnational. Senate hearings have revealed that these hubs persist due to the forced labor of human trafficking victims, both Filipino and foreign. According to the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA), this constitutes economic sabotage.
The senator emphasized that current Senate efforts are focused on finding effective solutions to completely shut down POGOs in the Philippines.
She pointed out that Senate hearings have revealed many POGOs are operated by organized criminal groups, with some involvement from public officials. In this context, the senator stressed the need to hold accountable those officials who have facilitated and continue to support these businesses.
Additionally, Hontiveros expressed concern over the ongoing underground operations of POGOs in the country and urged law enforcement agencies to act decisively on the total ban ordered by President Marcos.
In a separate statement on Monday, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian noted that the presence of a POGO hub in Cebu indicates that much more work is needed to address such firms. He observed that the involvement of former POGO workers from Bamban and Porac in the recently raided Cebu hub suggests the issue may be more extensive than initially thought, underscoring the need for a deeper investigation.
Gatchalian echoed Hontiveros’ concerns, stating that POGO operators and agents seem to evade the law by simply relocating. He called for stricter enforcement and more comprehensive measures to ensure these operations are permanently dismantled.
The Cebu raid, which uncovered illegal POGO operations, is the first illegal POGO hub found in Visayas since the nationwide ban in July.
Previously, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) spokesperson Winston Casio announced preparations for two large-scale operations targeting the Philippine online gambling industry. The goal is not only to disrupt these operations but also to arrest those involved.
Although the POGO ban has been in effect for over a month, with a deadline set to wind up all POGO operations before December 31st of this year, the country’s gaming regulator, PAGCOR, held a private meeting with POGO licensees and authorized providers one week ago.
As reported by AGB, this meeting was held alongside representatives from the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Bureau of Immigration. However, no additional details have been revealed following this meeting.
