IN PLAIN SIGHT Photo shows the facilities of a raided gaming operator near the Pasay City Hall and the Department of Foreign Affairs. —Richard A. Reyes
MANILA, Philippines — A special task force created to dismantle unlicensed Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo) hubs will build on intelligence gathering operations aside from law enforcement.
Brig. Gen. Nicolas Salvador, acting Philippine National Police deputy chief for operations, said the illegal internet gaming licensees (IGL) or unlicensed Pogos, have raised concerns on espionage, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, physical abuse, kidnapping, extortion, digital fraud and identity theft, further complicating the situation of Pogos, which has raised security concerns.
Special Task Force “Skimmer” was created to conduct law enforcement and intelligence operations nationwide aimed at combating the unlicensed Pogos.
READ: The compelling case against Pogos
“Through the STF Skimmer, the PNP shall dismantle illegal IGL through intelligence gathering, coordinated law enforcement operations and legal action to uphold the rule of law, protect vulnerable individuals and safeguard national security,” Salvador said on Saturday.
The new task force is headed by PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Michael John Dubria, with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group as the lead operating unit.
Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Saturday gathered law enforcement agencies and local governments in Metro Manila and parts of Luzon regarding the drive to eradicate illegal Pogos.
Failure of gov’t agencies
The PNP announced the creation of Task Force Skimmer after several government officials, including local and national government executives raised concerns over the troubles caused by Pogos.
On Friday, Senate President Francis Escudero hit government agencies that have evidently failed to properly regulate Pogos.
“These investigations on Pogo show the failure of government agencies. Primarily, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). How are birth certificates produced when the information is incorrect?” Escudero asked in a media briefing.
He said fake birth certificate schemes should be stopped, highlighting the document’s importance in securing government identification cards.
“We have to make sure that we have a second balance in PSA. In the age of AI (artificial intelligence), there is no reason for them not to locate and stop the fraud inside their agency,” the Senate President added.
Fake birth certificates
Senators last Tuesday called on state agencies to probe the reports of 1,200 Chinese who allegedly obtained Filipino citizenships by securing fake birth certificates.
Suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo was believed to have allegedly acquired her Filipino citizenship illegally through late registration of her birth certificate.
Escudero also scored the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for the growing number of “illegal aliens” in the country for years.
“Second is the BI. In the many raids on illegal Pogos, most of the Chinese nationals apprehended are illegal aliens. They entered as tourists and don’t have work permits, or if they do, they’re expired. Why do they seem unaware or inactive regarding this?” he said
Escudero also criticized the “disjoint” between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Bureau of Immigration.
“All the visas issued in different consulates in different parts of the country, including China, are mostly tourist visas. While the intention is to work here, what they do is convert visas through BI,” he added.
Escudero also shared that there is no information sharing between the Department of Foreign Affairs and BI on the number of visas they have issued. He also questioned the accuracy of data on issued tourist visas submitted to the Department of Tourism. —with a report from Dianne Sampang