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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider The harm outweighs the benefits: Rodriguez reiterates call to ban POGOs

The harm outweighs the benefits: Rodriguez reiterates call to ban POGOs

Published Jun 10, 2024 04:50 am

At A Glance

  • Following recent raids on several Philippine offshore gambling operations (POGOs) that revealed links to organized crime, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has renewed his call to President Marcos and Congress to ban POGOs outright from the country.

FB_IMG_1663259453201.jpgCagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Rep. Rodriguez’s Facebook)

Following recent raids on several Philippine offshore gambling operations (POGOs) that revealed links to organized crime, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has renewed his call to President Marcos and Congress to ban POGOs outright from the country.

“The negative, evil and harmful effects of POGOs on society far outweigh the revenue they bring in,” Rodriguez said in a statement on Monday, June 10.

The veteran lawmaker made this appeal following the discovery that POGOs in Bamban, Tarlac, and Porac, Pampanga were employing hundreds of Chinese and Vietnamese nationals who were victims of human smuggling syndicates.

“Most businesses are owned and run by Chinese nationals who employ their own compatriots and other foreigners smuggled into the country by syndicates also mostly led by Chinese citizens,” he pointed out.

Rodriguez said the raids on the Bamban and Porac offshore gambling hubs were proof that “these POGOs have become fronts for illegal activities such as money laundering, illegal immigration and employment, prostitution, extortion, and kidnapping”.

Aside from putting an end to these unwanted consequences, Rodriguez said banning POGOs would also stop extortion and protection activities by corrupt law enforcers and government personnel.

Likewise, this would also address concerns that these gambling sites are being used by Chinese forces to spy on certain sensitive government agencies such as Malacañang, Department of National Defense (DND) and the military, he said.

Rodriguez says there are legitimate concerns that POGOs are being utilized for hacking government websites.

In a statement, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said there was no need to outlaw POGOs based on this concern.

According to PAGCOR, the real threat to national security emanates from alien hacking and scam syndicates, not from licensed gambling hubs.

Despite POGOs generating more than P5 billion in revenues for the government last year, Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Ralph Recto said he does not object to the banning of POGOs.

Rodriguez, however, said he wished that Recto would fully support the proposed banning of POGOs as his predecessor Benjamin Diokno did.

At the same time, the congressman has also urged the House of Representatives to approve his House Resolution (HR) No. 1197, and House Bill (HB) No. 5082 authored by Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., which both call for outlawing POGOs.

Rodriguez noted that several senators that also advocate banning POGOs and are currently investigating offshore gambling operations in Tarlac, Pampanga, and other areas.

“Let us take advantage of these inquiries in the Senate. If the House approves our proposal soon, it will have a big chance of winning support and approval in the Senate,” he stressed.

Related Tags

POGOs Philippine offshore gaming operators Rufus Rodriguez
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