LGUs urged to take stand vs POGOs

Local government units must take a stand about allowing the continuous operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in their respective jurisdictions, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Tuesday.

In a statement, Gatchalian reminded LGU officials that crimes related to the POGO industry will be their responsibility.

“Once crime happens in your jurisdiction, it’s the mayor’s responsibility and the local chief of police’s responsibility. So, it becomes a local issue and it becomes the problem of the community,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian issued the statement barely a week after he released a Senate ways and means committee chairman’s report recommending the immediate ban on POGOs.

“What we should strive for is a peaceful and orderly society, a country that we can invite our friends and tourists from abroad to come to. They will not come here if they read in the reports that people are being illegally detained,” he said.

Gatchalian said several LGUs, particularly those which were considered as POGO hubs like Manila, Pasay and Parañaque, are starting to recognize the implications of allowing POGO operations in their jurisdiction.

He mentioned Pasig City’s ordinance released in December 2022 directing all online gambling establishments, including POGOs, to wind up their operations within one year.

Should POGO operations continue, Gatchalian warned that criminal syndicates behind kidnappings and illegal detention might influence law enforcers.

“Only criminal syndicates can illegally detain people and that creates an environment that is not stable for all of us. I’m afraid that if we do not stop this, it will cascade to enforcers, and one day, we will have a difficult time mobilizing enforcers as well because they are already taken hold by these criminal operations,” he said.

Gatchalian reiterated that “we are not creating value for our own citizens” if the government will allow POGOs' continuous operations, noting that 90 percent of the industry employees are foreign nationals and only 10 percent are Filipinos.

In a press conference later in the day, Gatchalian said the operations of POGOs must be stopped immediately as it violates Republic Act 11590 or the law taxing POGOs.

RA 11590 specifically requires a third-party auditor for POGOs, which is currently non-existent, after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) terminated its contract with Global ComRCI.

“Wala na yung third-party auditor. Sinabi ng PAGCOR na hindi nila kaya. So actually, hindi namin alam kung sino nagmo-monitor ngayon,” Gatchalian said.

Asked if this calls for an automatic ban on POGO operations, Gatchalian responded: “If you apply the law strictly, yes. Kasi very specific yung law doon na dapat may third-party auditor. Eh dahil wala yung third-party auditor, walang makaka-monitor sa POGO. So there’s a violation of the law, if you ask me. So meaning wala na dapat mag-operate ng POGO because there’s a violation of the law.”

Earlier, Gatchalian filed a resolution seeking a Senate investigation into the alleged irregularities in the hiring of the third-party auditor that assessed the POGO revenues.

Further, the senator said he is planning to file a bill that will repeal RA 11590, saying this law only legitimizes the operations of POGOs in the country through a taxation regime.

On Monday, at least two senators seek decisive actions on POGOs with one calling on Malacañang to back the proposal in the Senate to ban the operations of offshore gaming in the country.

Gatchalian expressed confidence that Malacañang would consider his recommendations as he had laid out arguments on the costs and benefits of POGO operations in the country.

He also expects to sponsor the Senate committee on ways and means report on POGOs upon the resumption of session after he secured more votes from his colleagues after his privilege speech last Wednesday. —Hana Bordey/KBK/VBL, GMA Integrated News