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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Crackdown on POGOs posing as resorts, restaurants up to LGU execs - Remulla

Crackdown on POGOs posing as resorts, restaurants up to LGU execs - Remulla

Published Nov 20, 2024 06:48 am

It's up to local chief executives to go after Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that are pretending to be restaurants and resorts, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Wednesday, Nov. 20.

viber_image_2024-11-20_12-59-03-085.jpg
Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla breezes through the Commission on Appointments’ Committee on the Interior and Local Government which endorses on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, for plenary approval his ad interim appointment as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. (Senate PRIB photo)

Remulla said this during the confirmation hearing of the Commission on Appointments (CA) for his ad interim appointment.

"The biggest disguise that they are going through now is that they are applying for resorts and restaurants. so it is the power of the mayor to visit the establishments and make sure that what is going on is exactly what is intended," he said.

"I think the last case in Lapu-lapu showed it very clear that when the PAOCC raided the premises the restaurant and the hotel and the bar were just the front, and then it was a guerrilla operation if I believe, it transferred from the one in Porac and then hid there in Lapu Lapu," he added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros urged Remulla, citing the the department’s directive to local government units to use their visitorial powers and put an end to POGOs and scam farms by the end of the year.

“One problem is that following the approaching deadline of their operations these businesses have started moving from large centralized offices to more spread out decentralized locations. So how will the DILG ensure that all these establishments, especially the scam hubs, will really be shut down by the end of the year?” Hontiveros said.

Remulla stated it's really up to a lot to the mayors when they issue business permits, occupancy permits they have to inspect the premises and to make sure that what is intended for is happening.

When asked regarding how to address scam hubs who didn't even bother to get business permits, he replied: "That's a function of intelligence and that's a function of the special units of the Philippine National Police and the NBI to pursue and to investigate and to prosecute, ma’am."

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POGOs Senator Risa Hontiveros scam hub DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla
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