Leyte 4th district Rep. Richard Gomez (Facebook)

Leyte 4th district Rep. Richard Gomez believes there's a simple way to pinpoint the location of clandestine illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs): Look for areas with high data or Internet usage. 

Gomez brought up this method during Wednesday's marathon joint hearing of the House Committees on Public Order and Safety and on Games and Amusements, wherein the solons saw gutwrenching videos of alleged torture inside these POGOs. 

The House investigation centered on the alleged illegal activities--including syndicated crime--that are happening within these hidden illegal POGO hubs. 

Gomez told the joint panel on July 17 that representatives from the country’s telecommunications companies could be invited to attend the next hearing and provide the technical details needed to find them. 

"Lagi nating sinasabi na nahihirapan pumasok dahil hindi nila makita kung sino ‘yong mga illegal operators, kaya ko natanong Mr. Chair ‘yong telco kasi...pwede kang pumunta doon sa telco makikita mo ‘yong data usage ng isang area, ng specific area," the Leyte solon claimed. 

(We always say that it's hard to enter these areas because we can't find the illegal operators; that's why Mr. Chair I asked about the telcos because...you can go to them and aske them on the data usage of one area, a specific area.) 

"Makikita mo ‘yong IP address ng mga telcos, and from there, made-determine mo ‘yong usage ng mga kumpanya na gumagamit ng mga Internet nila. ‘Pag nakita mo na ang usage ay mataas, pwede ka nang magduda," said the former movie actor. 

(You will see the IP address of the telcos, and from there, you will see the different companies' usage of their Internet. Once you see high usage, you should have doubts already.) 

"At second, itong mga Internet providers Mr. Chair, may mga receivables ito by the millions, by the hundreds of millions for using their services. Maniningil ‘yan, so alam natin specifically if we will ask for the coordinates, malalaman mo eksakto saan pumupunta ‘yong linya nila," explained Gomez, also a House assistant majority leader. 

(And second Mr. Chair, these Internet providers have receivables in the millions, in the hundreds of millions for using their services. They come for payment too, so we will know specifically, if we will ask for the coordinates, you will know exactly where their lines lead to.) 

Public order and safety panel chairman, Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez saw the significance of Gomez's manifestation and subsequently approved a motion to invite the telcos. 

Gomez said a National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) representative should also be summoned to help in the search for illegal POGOs.