POGOs, casinos treated differently under PHL laws – Leonen

Forms of gambling available to the poor, and those available to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) and casinos, are treated differently under Philippine laws, Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said Saturday.

In a forum, Leonen said that Presidential Decree 1602 or the Anti-Gambling Law prohibited any illegal or unauthorized activities or games

"PD 1602 punishes those that play cara y Cruz on the streets and our Metropolitan Trial Courts are witness to many of the prosecution for those that are playing with the coins and a bit of money, pusoy, etc.," he said.

"But on the other hand, of course, we see that at certain times big gambling like POGO and casinos are treated differently under our specific laws," Leonen added.

According to Leonen, though some laws prevented addiction or vice, "we fail to see how we differentiate the impacts on the more vulnerable and the poorer sector."

"So I guess we have to continue calling attention to these kinds of discrepancies and we in the judiciary have no choice except to simply implement the laws. But it is something that we should address to our political and economic situation," he said.

As a citizen, I urge our leaders to prohibit all forms of gambling local or foreign. What they bring in terms of revenues is not worth the lives they destroy, the politics they infect, health risks and the values they instill. Protect our people.#NewNormal2020 #AfterCovid19

— Help others. Humanity will endure. (@marvicleonen) May 1, 2020

On Friday, Leonen urged the government to ban all forms of gambling. His announcement came after the government allowed the partial reopening of POGOs amid the enhanced community quarantine.

"As a citizen, I urge our leaders to prohibit all forms of gambling local or foreign.  What they bring in terms of revenues is not worth the lives they destroy, the politics they infect, health risks, and the values they instill," he said. — DVM, GMA News