DILG to require LCEs to report 'suspicious,' possible setting up of new POGOs

Interior Secretary Juanito Victor ''Jonvic'' Remulla Jr. will require local chief executives to submit reports about possible setting up of POGOs in their areas amid the total ban on the operations.

''Mag-i-issue po ang aming kagawaran ng isang EO sa lahat ng mga LCE na required silang magsubmit ng suspicious activities within their localities sa mga movement or possible set-up ng mga POGO,'' Remulla said during a Palace press briefing on Wednesday.

(Our department will issue an EO requiring LCEs to submit reports about suspicious activities within their localities as regards movement or possible set-up of POGOs.)

''Malalaman yan sa spike bigla ng bandwidth use, entry of suspicious people congregating in houses not registered as businesses, makikita 'yan sa movement ng mga foreigners na gustong magset-up diyan pero di naman kilala,'' he added.

(This will be known through the bandwidth, the entry of suspicious people congregating in houses not registered as businesses, as well as the movement of foreigners in the area.)

Remulla mentioned that in September of this year, at least 28 mayors were informed about suspected POGO operations in their areas.

''Ito po ay listahan galing PAGCOR, na inisyuhan ng license (This is a list from PAGCOR, they were issued with licenses) na under official records 28 local chief, LGUs were issued, have POGOs operating in their localities. So, they were trying to inspect, to make sure na walang nangyayari,'' he explained.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) ensured that it has sufficient manpower and resources to continue running after POGO operators.

''Tingin ko mayroon naman kaming sapat na resources and of course iyong mga personnel ‘no (I think we have enough resources and personnel) – we have the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Immigration,'' PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz said.

''At saka hindi na ito kagaya noong mga niri-raid natin noong una na talagang isang malaking hub na libo-libo ang nakukuha natin ‘no, now we are looking at hundreds na lang of people and probably baka less than 50 na mga foreign nationals,'' he added.

(This was not like those we had raided wherein they were huge hubs, now we are looking at just hundreds of people and less than 50 foreign nationals.)

During his State of the Nation Address last July, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced the banning of POGOs after these operations had been linked to serious crimes.

Last November, Marcos signed Executive Order 74 ordering the ban on POGOs, internet gaming licenses, and other offshore gaming operations in the country. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News