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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Villafuerte wants to see 'receipt' of DICT campaign vs illegal POGO websites 

Villafuerte wants to see 'receipt' of DICT campaign vs illegal POGO websites 

Published Jun 27, 2024 05:50 pm

At A Glance

  • Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte wants to know if Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary John Ivan Uy has delivered on his promise to go after illegal gambling websites of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

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Has Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary John Ivan Uy fulfilled his promise to go after illegal gambling websites of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and prosecute the people behind them? 

This is essentially what Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte wants to know. 

“We would like to know from the IT (information technology) expert Secretary Ivan [Uy] what the DICT, on his watch, has done so far as regards his 2022 commitment to close down the illegal online gaming sites and then throw the books at these POGOs that have been operating their homepages without Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) permits,” Villafuerte said in a statement Thursday, June 27. 

It was recalled that during the Commission on Appointment's (CA) 2022 confirmation hearing on Uy’s Cabinet appointment, the secretary had assured lawmakers that his department would—in tandem with gaming regulators and law enforcers—shut down illegal gambling websites and then file cases against the POGO operators and their bet collectors.     
Villafuerte is the majority leader of the powerful CA, which is comprised of members from the House of Representatives and Senate. 

He had proposed to Uy two years ago during the confirmation process to work with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Pagcor on shutting down illegal online gaming sites and filing cases in court against their operators, betting agents, and bettors. 

Uy then assured legislators during that CA hearing that, “The DICT would work together with the Pagcor and NBI on finally  putting out of business all  illegal gaming websites and then prosecuting their errant operators and betting agents along with the bettors." 

He told Uy after getting his commitment that it would not be enough to just close down these illegal online gaming sites since their operators will most likely open new sites within minutes of their shutdown.  

“Criminal cases must be filed immediately against illicit operators to cripple their lucrative operations. The betting agents and bettors must be prosecuted as well,” Villafuerte said.  

Pagcor Chairman Alejandro Tengco said that only 46 POGOs have Pagcor licenses to operate, and these firms have rebranded themselves as Internet gaming licensees (IGLs). 

Most of these IGLs are located in Metro Manila, he said. 

Tengco was quoted in media reports as saying that about 250 POGOs were operating without Pagcor permits. What's worse is that they may be involved in crimes. 

The POGOs operating without licenses, he said, include the two firms that authorities had separately raided in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga Zun Yuan Technology Inc. in Capas, Tarlac. 

The offices of Zun Yuan Technology Inc. in Bamban and Lucky South 99 in Porac were raided by the authorities on their suspected involvement in assorted Internet-based scams.  

Villafuerte said he supported the view of House Speaker Martin Romualdez that law-abiding POGOs can be allowed to operate, while the illegal operators should be arrested and their websites shut down at once. 

“For me, what’s important is that all [POGO] stakeholders must follow the rule of law. And for those who will violate our laws, then I must say you’ll be sorry because our law enforcers will definitely be going after you. We will implement our law to the fullest,” Romualdez said. 

“That is why if they are doing everything illegal, then they will really be arrested. But if they will just be law-abiding, then I don’t think we will have any problem," added the House leader.

Related Tags

POGOs Department of Information and Communications Technology lray villafuerte John Ivan Uy
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