Quezon mayor denies POGO operations in town amid arrest of 42 Chinese citizens

The mayor of Alabat, Quezon denied that any Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) are taking place in his town, following the arrest of 42 Chinese nationals at a resort.

In a 24 Oras report, authorities said most of the arrested individuals were undocumented and suspected of planning to establish a POGO in the island municipality.

However, Mayor Jose Ramil Arquiza maintained there is no existing POGO in Alabat and asserted there will be no such operations in the future. 

He assured residents that the local government is closely monitoring the entry and activities of foreign nationals in their community.

Arquiza explained the presence of Chinese workers in the town is linked to an energy project involving the construction of wind turbines, and not online gambling. He said the Chinese citizens are subcontractors hired under the town’s renewable energy initiative.

Arquiza added his office is working with the Bureau of Immigration and the company behind the project to verify the legal status of the Chinese citizens. —Sherylin Untalan/RF, GMA Integrated News