Palace: Owners of tax-delinquent Pogos face deportation, jail time
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Sunday warned tax-delinquent Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) owners that they will face deportation or jail time, should they still fail to remit taxes to Philippine government. “Of course. Any violation, syempre may karampatang penalties ‘yan (has corresponding penalties),” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer when asked if deportation or imprisonment is possible against Pogo owners who will fail to pay taxes to the government. Panelo added that Pogo companies may also be ordered to stop operations should they fail to meet the three-day deadline set by President Rodrigo Duterte to settle their unpaid taxes. “Kailangan magbayad sila ng buwis, Hinid naman pwedeng makikinabang ka na ikaw lang ang makikinabang (They should pay their taxes. You cannot be the only one to benefit),” Panelo added. In an interview with CNN Philippines on Friday, Duterte warned tax-delinquent Pogos of dire consequences if they will not meet his “grace period.” “I’m giving you three days to bayaran ninyo ang mga utang ninyo (to pay your debts). Kapag hindi, kayong mga Pogo barilin ko kayo ng de bomba. Kasi yung pugo (quail) sa amin maliit na ibon (If you don’t, I’ll shoot you pogos with a shotgun. From where I come from, a pogo is a small bird),” he said in an interview with CNN Philippines. In September, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III ordered the closure of Pogos that fail to settle their unpaid taxes. Pogos operating in the country reportedly have P21.62 billion in unpaid taxes. There are 218 Pogo service providers employing 108,914 foreign workers operating in the country.
