Senators in the Philippines continue their investigation into offshore gaming operators (POGOs) while the police steps up its own activities.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is intensifying efforts to clamp down on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in Central Visayas, a region that includes Cebu and Bohol, in collaboration with local government units (LGUs).
Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare emphasized that LGUs are crucial in providing intelligence against POGO activities. Despite five POGOs being registered in the region over the past five years, recent police investigations suggest these establishments have ceased operations. However, ongoing investigations are underway to confirm if they have indeed shut down or merely gone underground.
Cebu City’s acting Mayor, Raymond Alvin Garcia, has directed the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO), led by Terence Saavedra, to audit records of all registered businesses. Garcia’s directive includes conducting onsite inspections of business process outsourcing (BPO) firms and similar entities suspected of engaging in POGO-like activities under the guise of legitimate operations.
Although there are no official POGO operations recorded among the 40,000 registered businesses in Cebu City this year, Garcia stated that his office is working closely with the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to eliminate any clandestine POGO activities.
Simultaneously, the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, chaired by Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, will continue its investigation into POGOs.
Despite President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s recent declaration of a total POGO ban during his third State of the Nation Address, Hontiveros underscored the Senate’s responsibility to ensure the effective implementation of this phaseout.
The Senate’s oversight role includes identifying criminal elements, ensuring justice for victims, and facilitating a just transition for displaced workers.
Hontiveros stressed that the ban does not mark the end of the issue. The committee will scrutinize regulatory failures and instances of corruption within government offices linked to POGOs. In previous hearings, the committee examined the involvement of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo in a POGO operation in her town, as well as the backgrounds of other key figures associated with POGOs. Guo, along with several others, was cited in contempt for not attending the hearings.
The committee’s investigation aims to uncover the full extent of criminal activities associated with the POGO industry, which Hontiveros claims has brought various crimes into the country. The Senate panel will resume hearings on July 29th, continuing its efforts to address the multifaceted issues surrounding POGOs and their impact on the nation.
