The Acting Chief of the Philippine National Police says that it is further intensifying its efforts to shut down any remaining Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and internet gaming licensees (IGLs).
In a statement on Monday, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. referenced the executive order by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. banning all POGO operations.
“The instruction to us is clear: Identify, validate and shut down all the remaining POGOs, particularly those that hide behind the names of BPOs or IT solution companies. We have been complying and we will continue to do so until all of them are gone,” stated the official.
This is done through coordination with the Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Foreign Affairs – particularly in identifying foreign nationals’ attempts to revive underground gaming operations.
The official stated that “there are strong indicators that some illegal POGO/IGL operators are connected to larger transnational cybercrime groups. This is not just simple illegal gambling, there is a possibility that it involves online fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and other cyber-enabled crimes”.
Due to the transnational nature of some of the groups, authorities are coordinating with their foreign counterparts to build cases against illegal operators.
