DOJ warns POGO workers: Submit to authorities or be permanently blacklisted

The Department of Justice on Sunday warned foreign Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) workers to surrender to authorities or face legal consequences that include permanent blacklisting.

"The President is unequivocally clear that POGOs have no place here in the Philippines and we vow to give our all-out support for the sake and welfare of the Filipino people," Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in a statement.

“This Administration stands firm in its resolve to intensifying its guerilla operations against non-compliant POGOs,” he added.

In July 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. banned all POGOs after several businesses were implicated in a variety og crimes, including human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and money scams.

According to the Bureau of Immigration, 22,609 of the 33,863 foreign POGO workers have already left the Philippines.

This means around 11,000 foreign POGO workers are still in the country.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) earlier announced that there would be no POGOs operating in the country by the end of 2024. —Mariel Celine Serquiña