House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker's Office)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez's stance against controversial Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) is clear-cut: punish those that violate the country’s laws. 

Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), made this clarification in a recent chance interview with House reporters in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. 

"Sa lahat ng mga stakeholders ay sumuniod lang sa lahat mga batas, OK. Pero pag lumalabag, kahit sino naman, paparusahan talaga," he said on the subject of POGOs. 

(All stakeholders need only to follow all the law, OK. But once you violate them, whoever you are, you'll really get punished.) 

Asked if the members of the 300-plus strong House have been advised on the POGO operations in their respective districts, Romualdez said he was leaving it up to the solons to carry out monitoring activities. 

"Alam naman nila kung ano ang gagawin nila. So sila na lang bahala mag monitor sa mga sitwasyon sa mga distrito nila," said the House leader. 

Calls to outright ban POGOs in the country are snowballing in the lower chamber. 

The main reason for House members' disenchantment with POGOs are the various criminal activities that the operators have been linked to. The solons claimed that these outweigh the economic benefits of the industry, which underwent a boom period during the previous Duterte administration.