Palace tells Gordon: Share information on spies disguising as Pogo workers

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday urged Senator Richard Gordon to provide information on his claims that China may be using Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) for intelligence gathering in the country.

“If the good Senator has information on that, I think they should provide us with intelligence reports so that we can pursue the line of belief of that matter,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Gordon earlier claimed that members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) may have infiltrated Pogos for intelligence gathering after identification cards of alleged PLA members were discovered from the two Chinese shooting suspects arrested in Makati City last week.

Panelo said the incident is now being investigated by law enforcement agencies.

The senator also disclosed that more than $160 million (about P8 billion) was brought by a handful of Chinese citizens who arrived in the country from Dec. 17, 2019 to Feb. 12.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said he was “familiar with the issue” raised by Gordon and ordered the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to look into Chinese citizens who had brought huge amounts of money into the country.

Due to the pressing concerns raised about Pogo workers, the Palace official said the government will enforce stricter measures on incoming Chinese nationals.

“That goes without saying because as President says, any violation of any immigration law or any law of this country will be… will not be countenanced,” he said.