Pogos’ ‘social ills’ present before their operations — Panelo

MANILA, Philippines — The social ills being linked to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) have been present in the country even before they started operating here, according to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

Panelo on Monday defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision not to shut down Pogos because of the revenue they bring in, amid claims that they had committed tax evasion and given rise to more prostitution and money-laundering operations.

He said law enforcement agencies should instead address these claims.

“The social ills you’re mentioning, they have been with us for the longest time. The same problems cropped up when the Koreans came. As I said, the government agencies should address these. They should do their jobs to stop these,” Panelo said at a press briefing in Malacañang.

“You cannot be burning the entire house [down] just because there are so many rats there,” he said.

Have to be validated

Reports that some of the Pogo transactions were linked to illegal drugs have to be validated, he further said. The same goes for claims that members of China’s People’s Liberation Army have entered the country by posing as Pogo workers, he said. Asked about finding another source of revenue other than Pogos, Panelo said these operations were being made to appear bad.

“The problem is you’re insisting that Pogos are bad. They are not. What is bad are some of those operating these. Then let us stop these and prosecute these,” he said.

In explaining the decision to keep Pogos, Panelo said on Sunday that the revenue from these operations could be used to fund the government response to the novel coronavirus or COVID-19.

He also said another basis for Duterte’s decision was a report from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. that they are okay.

Pogos are under investigation in the Senate, where lawmakers have uncovered cases of prostitution, money laundering and corruption linked to these operations that employ and cater to Chinese nationals.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, for his part, said Pogos were China’s version of the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, describing the facilities mostly operated by Chinese nationals as a threat to national security.

“As they are, Pogos are like China’s version of the VFA and Edca (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) here in the Philippines, as far as the national security threats and anti-social activities they breed,” the leader of the opposition Makabayan bloc said in a statement. INQ