Abante tells House: Pass bill banning Pogos or risk games’ return
Manila Rep. Benny Abante FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives must approve a bill disallowing Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), as the lack of a law institutionalizing the President’s ban might risk the return of these games in the future, Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. said.
In a statement on Thursday, Abante said that failing to approve a law that will ban Pogos means the door remains open for these games, and the illegal activities that have been associated with some of the operators.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his third State of the Nation Address last July 22 ordered a ban on all Pogos, saying that these games must stop before 2024 ends. The House leadership backed this, with key lawmakers filing House Bill (HB) No. 10987 — a consolidation of five bills seeking to ban Pogos.
The proposed measure however was not approved on third reading before the session adjourned last February 5.
READ: House approves Pogo ban bill on 2nd reading
“The President made the right decision in declaring a ban on Pogos, but we must ensure that this policy cannot be easily reversed by future administrations,” Abante, a longtime anti-gambling advocate, said.
“Without a law in place, there is always a risk that these Pogos will be allowed back in, bringing with them the same lawlessness, corruption, and crime that we have already seen,” he added.
READ: Marcos: ‘All Pogos are banned!’
Abante, chairperson of the House committee on human rights and one of the principal authors of HB No. 10987 said that the latest reports of kidnappings linked to the Pogo industry is another proof that many of the games are linked to illegal activities and criminal syndicates.
“The latest kidnapping case is just another example of how Pogos go hand in hand with organized crime in our country. From human trafficking to financial fraud, prostitution rings to drug-related offenses—this industry has done nothing but harm our people,” he said.
The lawmaker was referring to the incident where the father of a 14-year old Chinese national who was abducted, was eventually revealed to have ties to Pogos.
“Initially, one of the members of the family used to be involved in the Pogo business. They may have been talking about payment for the outstanding debt. That’s the lead that the AKG (Anti-Kidnapping Group) is pursuing,” PNP public information chief Col. Randulf Tuaño said in a briefing in Camp Crame on Wednesday.
READ: PNP: Father of abducted Chinese teen has Pogo connections
Abante, also a co-chairperson of the House quad committee that probed issues involving Pogos, meanwhile believes the kidnapping incident is not an isolated case.
“This is not an isolated case […] The DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) has confirmed that every single kidnapping incident recorded this year involved foreigners linked to Pogo operations. We cannot allow this cycle of crime to continue,” he said.
“Our hearings have made it clear that Pogo are not just an economic issue, they are a peace and order issue. This is not about regulation, because evidence already proves that Pogo are ungovernable. Pogo regulation is impossible; they are inherently criminal and must be eliminated,” he added.
