Año: Special teams checking if POGOs comply with rules, those who violate will be padlocked

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday warned that Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) found not abiding with the rules and regulations especially this time of quarantine will be padlocked.

In a television interview, Año mentioned that the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Department of Finance have imposed regulations for the POGOs to follow.

"There are certain requirements imposed by the BIR and the DOF for them to comply. If they do not comply, we will not allow them to operate," Año told ANC television.

He said teams from law enforcement units were also created to check areas where POGOs operate to ensure that they are following laws being implemented by authorities.

"We have formed special teams from the law enforcement to check on certain areas where they are operating to ensure their following quarantine rules," Año said. "If they will violate, we will padlock and stop their operations."

The government has announced the partial reopening of POGOs despite the enhanced community quarantine being implemented in Metro Manila due to the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Malacañang maintained that POGOs are a form of business process outsourcing even if the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines do not consider POGOs as such.

On Tuesday, a total of 63 Chinese nationals and 13 Filipinos were arrested in Barangay Olimpia, Makati City due to illegal POGO operations. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News