Romualdez open to Pogo existence but stakeholders must follow PH laws

House Speaker Martin Romualdez | PHOTO: Official facebook page of the House of Representatives of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Martin Romualdez is open to the existence of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo) in the country under the condition that its stakeholders follow the Philippine laws.

“Basta dapat lahat ng mga stakeholders diyan sumunod sa batas at sa mga lumabag sa batas, lagot po kayo sa ating mga law enforcers. Kaya yung kung mga bawal na ginagawa ninyo talagang huhulihin po kayo kaya dapat po sumunod na lang kayo sa batas para hindi kayo  magkaka problema,” Romualdez said in an ambush interview during the celebration of the country’s 126th Independence Day at historic Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan.

READ: Continue fight vs poverty, corruption, injustice — Romualdez

(As long as all the stakeholders obey the law. Those who break the law will be answering to our law enforcers. So, if you are doing illegal things, you will be arrested; just follow the law so you don’t get into trouble.)

“Alam mo naman may proseso, idadaan din yan sa proseso sa mga hearings papakinggan natin lahat ng mga stakeholders kung ano ang mga posisyon nila dito at don natin ititimbang  kung ano dapat ang pinakamagandang gawin natin,” he added.

(You know there is a process; we will go through hearings and listen to all the stakeholders about their positions here and weigh the best thing for us to do.)

The lawmaker said banning Pogos is not necessarily the only solution to problems besetting the gaming industry, although he also expressed openness to it, for as long as all issues have already been discussed and weighed upon.

“We’re open to hearing all issues concerning the Pogo,” he said.

“We have a process for that (banning Pogos), we have to go through that process where hearings will be held and we have to hear the concerns of all our stakeholders, what is their position. And from there, we will be weighing our options on what to do best with them,” he added in a separate statement.

A number of Pogo hubs were raided earlier this year — the most recent of which was found in Pampanga.

Last week, PAOCC and joint operatives of the Philippine National Police units conducted the raid, resulting in the “apprehension” of over 190 individuals inside the Pogo complex along Friendship Highway, Angeles City.

Previous reports also showed that authorities found six sets of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) uniforms, two pairs of boots, and a suspected “outstanding service medal” for a Chinese military sergeant inside the said complex.