Risa Hontiveros: No letup in Pogo probe amid shutdowns

Sen. Risa Hontiveros —Senate PRIB

Despite an order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to shut down all Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), a Senate committee that focused national attention on this Chinese-dominated industry will continue its inquiry into the impact of the business on the nation, the panel’s head, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, said on Friday.

“It’s not over yet,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

Arrest orders

Alice Guo, the suspended mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, who had gone into hiding after the Senate ordered her arrest for snubbing its two previous hearings, was still required to attend a hearing set for July 29, said the head of the committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality.

READ: Hontiveros says Pogo probe ‘not over yet’: It’s not just about Alice Guo

Arrest orders were also sent out for Guo’s three siblings and their supposed Chinese parents to compel them to participate in the Senate probe into the illegal activities linked to offshore gaming facilities, which had allegedly also been used in cybercrimes, espionage and attacks on Philippine government websites.

“Mayor Guo is not the only one being investigated here, but the entire Pogo industry that has brought various crimes to the country,” Hontiveros said.

The Senate, she said, would continue to exercise its oversight function to ensure that the President’s order to shut down all Pogos by the end of the year would be properly implemented.

The senator said government officials and private individuals who had conspired in flouting the laws should be held accountable to bring justice to the victim-survivors.

The Pogos have allegedly been used for cyberscams and human trafficking and its officers also face allegations of torture and murder.

‘Just transition’

According to Hontiveros, a “just transition” should also be implemented to help Filipino workers who would be displaced by the closure of Pogos.

The Department of Labor and Employment estimates that about 20,000 Filipinos work for various Pogo companies.

“We also need to ensure (that) our regulatory failures are addressed,” Hontiveros said. “It seems that a number of government institutions have become corrupt because of Pogos and this should be addressed by the policies that we will be proposing in the Senate,” she said.

China, which outlaws gambling, including offshore gaming, welcomed the President’s decision to ban Pogos.

Embassy to cooperate

The Chinese Embassy in Manila said that it was ready to cooperate with the government in implementing the ban.

“We have noted President Marcos’ announcement of banning all Pogos and welcome this development. We believe this decision echoes the call of the Philippine people and serves the common interests of people of both countries,” the embassy said in a statement on Thursday.

“In line with this commitment, China is ready to continue its strong law enforcement cooperation with the Philippines and better protect the safety and well-being of the two peoples,” it said.

16-hour shifts

The Pogo industry has been used to traffic not just Chinese but also other foreigners like Malaysians, Vietnamese and Indonesians.

Some Pogo companies have been found by local law enforcers to have recruited workers for call center jobs but forced to work as underground cryptocurrency scammers. The workers are forced to work 16-hour shifts, are tortured when they fail to meet their quotas, and are deprived of food and sleep.

“The Chinese law prohibits all forms of gambling. The Chinese government strictly cracks down on Chinese citizens engaging in overseas gambling businesses including Pogo,” the Chinese Embassy statement said.

“Pogo breeds serious crimes and gravely undermines the interests of both Philippine and Chinese peoples.” In May, the Philippines deported 167 Chinese workers of a Pogo company in Bamban, Tarlac, which was raided in March.

There are 43 licensed Pogo companies in the country as of July, according to gaming regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission reports that there are around 100 Pogo companies operating illegally as of June.