Imee: If POGOs cannot be regulated, should be stopped

Senator Imee Marcos said on Sunday that given the recent reports of abductions and human trafficking involving Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, POGOs should be phased out.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Marcos admitted that she was earlier in favor of POGOs as they were  a source of income for the country.

However, with the recent crimes that seemed to come with POGOS, she said that the consequences that seem to come from these offshore gaming establishments outweigh the benefits.

“Noong una, sabi ko, ‘yung POGO okay naman kasi kikita ang Pilipinas diyan. Feeling ko, kailangan natin ‘yung pera. Noon 'yun. Pero ngayon, katulad ng e-sabong, okay as a source of income, pero hindi sapat 'yung halagang binibayad natin sa krimen, kidnapping, at abduction,” she said.

(At first, I was okay with POGO because the Philippines will make money from them. I feel that we needed the money back then. But now, like e-sabong, they’re okay as a source of income, but the revenue we earn is not equal to the crimes, kidnappings, and abductions that come with it.)

“For me, at this point, kung hindi natin kayang i-regulate katulad ng e-sabong, itigil na ‘yan. Tutal ang kinikita natin diyan ay napakaliit. Ang duda ko, mas malaki ang kinikita na under the table kaysa sa binibigay sa gobyerno,” she added.

(At this point, if we can't regulate POGO like e-sabong, let’s just stop them. After all, the amount that we earn from them is very little. I think the income obtained under the table is bigger than what is given to the government.)

The senator said she had brought the matter up with her brother, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., but he has yet to decide on whether to kick the POGOs out of the country.

“Sa palagay ko, dapat i-wind down na… Sabi ko nga, kung hindi natin kayang i-enforce, at mukhang talagang hindi dahil ilang taon na ‘yan eh, lumalala lang, ay pigilan na. Sinabi ko talaga ‘yun,” she said.

(In my opinion, it should be wound down... I told him if we can't enforce it, and it looks like we really can't because it's been a few years, and it's only getting worse, let’s just stop it. I said that.)

Senate Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Committee Chairperson Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa earlier said banning POGO may be a solution to deter crimes amid the series of reported kidnappings in the country.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday said it shut down a POGO establishment in Pampanga and rescued at least 43 foreign nationals from alleged human trafficking.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration and National Bureau of Investigation also recently rescued over 100 allegedly abused foreign and Filipino POGO workers in Cainta, Rizal. — DVM, GMA News