Palace vows to continue eradicating illegal POGO ops

Malacañang vowed Thursday to continue eradicating illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), some of which remain operational despite the ban imposed by the Marcos administration.

"Makikipag-ugnayan po tayo sa ating mga ahensiya na dapat na tumugis kung mayroon pa pong mga POGOs dito na siyang nagtatrabaho, nag-o-operate nang walang lisensya. Obligasyon po ng gobyerno na tugisin ang mga ito dahil sila po ay iligal. Makakaasa po kayo ng mabilisang aksyon dito," Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing.

(We will coordinate with agencies that are tasked to eradicate POGOs, which continue their operations. It's the obligation of the government to run after them because they are illegal. It's guaranteed that we will swiftly act on this.)

This developed as Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros expressed concern Wednesday over the new human trafficking "modus" that is possibly linked to POGO operations.

She said the POGO bosses are most probably still in the country, adding that they could be overseeing the morphing of POGO operations into smaller, guerilla-like operations.

Also on Wednesday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday that a syndicate of former POGO operators was behind the kidnapping of an international student in Taguig City.

He said authorities suspect that the victim came from a family that was into POGO operations.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July last year, ordered the ban on all POGOs by the end of 2024, citing the sector's "grave abuse" and "disrespect" to the country's system and laws.

On November 5, 2024, Marcos issued an executive order prohibiting Philippine Offshore Gaming, internet gaming, and other offshore gaming operations in the country.

Executive Order 74 states that the ban on POGOs and internet gaming licenses shall encompass illegal offshore gaming operations, license applications, license renewals, and cessation of operations.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has said the ongoing campaign against illegal POGOs is a joint effort of the commission with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC). — VDV, GMA Integrated News