After winding down large Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), the government's next crackdown would be on the small-time POGO hubs.
By January, the government is expecting to run after small POGO hubs—rogue POGO— formed by former POGO workers operating in small spaces such as houses, apartments, or resorts, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) executive director Gilbert Cruz said.
Cruz said these rogue POGOs might further multiply next year, once licenses of remaining POGOs are revoked by Dec. 15 this year.
"Kasi ang nangyayari rito talagang they form a smaller group na puwede sa malilit na bahay, sa mga subdivisions or apartments or condominiums, sometimes in a resort – iyong isang tinatrabaho kasi namin sa resort, tapos iyong isa ay isang palapag sa isang building ang inupahan (What's happening now is they form a smaller group that can operate in small houses, subdivisions or apartments or condominiums, sometimes in a resort. One of those we are running after is in a resort, and one is housed in a one floor of a building)," Cruz said in a Palace briefing on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
"So, siguro by January we’ll be looking na mas maraming aksyon ang mangyayari (So, maybe by January, we’ll be looking more actions happening)," he added.
He also disclosed that four small-time POGO hubs in Mimaropa and North Luzon are on the verge of being dismantled.
Cruz said these are small-time POGO hubs run by former workers from large POGO hubs, who set up in houses, apartments, or resorts.
"So iyan iyong mga rogue POGOs na tinatawag namin, na mga dating POGO workers iyan na nagsama-sama tapos gumawa ng maliit na POGO hub o POGO operation sa isang bahay, puwedeng ito ay sa isang apartment, puwede sa isang resort—yeah, sa hotel (These are the rogue POGOs, who are former POGO workers, formed a group to run a small POGO hub in a house, apartment, resort, or hotel)," Cruz said in a Palace briefing.
These POGO hubs, Cruz added, can operate regardless of the place as long as they have access to strong Wi-Fi connection.
"Ngayon, sa ngayon po, mayroon po kaming tinatrabaho na apat (Right now, we are operating on four hubs)," he said.