MANILA, Philippines — Perplexed by the continued presence of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) in the country, Senator Risa Hontiveros can’t help but question why the national government still has yet to take decisive action against the firm.
“Pogos are a hotspot of fugitives. Lungga ng mga kriminal. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit hanggang ngayon, hindi mapalayas nang tuluyan ang industriyang ito. Sino ba protektor ng mga ito? Bakit parang hirap na hirap ang gobyerno na kumilos?” Hontiveros said in a statement on Wednesday.
READ: PH now a ‘hotbed of human trafficking’ due to Pogos, says Gatchalian
(Pogos are a hotspot of fugitives and criminals. I still don’t understand why the national government can’t eradicate this industry. Who are the protectors of Pogos? Why is the government having a hard time taking action against it?)
Hontiveros and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian conducted an ocular inspection Wednesday in the premises of Zun Yuan Technology Inc. in Bamban, Tarlac, which was the subject of a raid last March 13.
According to Hontiveros, the Pogo hub in Bamban had offices “outfitted with computer workstations, along with “instructional guides and scripts used to conduct love scams and crypto schemes.”
“Rows of iPhones and Android smartphones hanging on metal racks were also found, together with numerous SIM cards, presumably used to execute fraudulent transactions,” said Hontiveros.
“Ginagamit talaga bilang legal cover ang Pogo ng mga sindikatong scammer. At kahit pa legal na Pogo, hindi ikinaganda ng Pilipinas ang pag-welcome sa mga sugalang ito. Simula pa lang, nakita na natin na mas pinalala lang ng mga Pogo ang mga sakit ng ating lipunan,” she added.
(Pogos are being used by syndicates and scammers. Even if Pogos are legal, welcoming these gambling firms does not benefit the country. From the very beginning, we have seen that Pogos only worsen the country’s perennial problems.)
The opposition senator likewise raised the possibility that some Chinese Pogo workers who wanted to enter the Philippines unchecked are abusing the Visa Upon Arrival (VUA) program.
She said it is possible that the VUA continues to be exploited to date, considering that 295 foreign workers were found in Tarlac.
“Human trafficking is part of their business model. Sa Pastillas Scam findings ng komite, business partner ang mga tiwali sa Immigration. Hanggang ngayon ba may modus pa rin? May business partner narin ba na mga [local government units?]? Mula noon hanggang ngayon, hindi natin napakinabangan ang mga Pogo. Puro sakit sa ulo ang dala sa bansa. The Executive should order the immediate ban of Pogos now,” Hontiveros said.
(Human trafficking is part of their business model. The findings of the Pastillas Scam probe showed that business partners are the ones who are crooked in Immigration. Does this modus still exist until now? Do LGUs have business partners now? Then and now, we did not benefit from Pogos. They only brought headaches and mishaps. The Executive should order the immediate ban of Pogos now.)
READ: Senate panel recommends Pogo ban
Several senators have been urging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to completely ban Pogos in the Philippines, pointing out that these only “made the country a fertile ground for various crimes.”