The Senate will pursue the passage of the measure that seeks to repeal Republic Act No. 11590 which eventually legalized the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, said the Upper Chamber is resolute on passing Senate Bill No. 2689 to put an end to all POGO operations even if Malacañang is set to issue and Executive Order (EO) implementing a total ban on POGOs.
Republic Act No. 11590 or an Act Taxing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators was signed into law by then President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Itutuloy namin ang batas para i-ban na ang POGO sa bansa at i-repeal ang taxation ng pogo sa ating bansa kahit na lumabas ang EO in the next two weeks itong batas na ito ay hindi na papayagan ang pogo na bumalik pa dito sa bansa (We will continue with the law to ban POGOs in the country and repeal the taxation of POGOs in our country even if the EO comes out in the next two weeks. This law will not prevent the revival of POGO operations in the country),” he said.
“Ide-define naming maigi ano ba ang POGO, ano ang tawag sa POGO, ano ang mga negosyong kadugtong sa POGO at isasama sa batas yun. Para institutionalized na siya, para kahit pa ang presidente ay hindi na mababago ang batas (We will thoroughly define what POGO is, what POGO is called, what are the businesses related to POGO and all that will be included in the proposed law. It will be institutionalized so that even the President can't change the law),” he said.
EO in two weeks time
It was Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz who vouched to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means that an EO is expected to be released “in two weeks' time.”
"On the executive order, it will be released probably in two weeks' time. I've seen the draft and I think (it will be out) in two weeks' time," Cruz told the Senate panel during the hearing on Thursday, September 12.
Cruz said the definition of terms were already included in the draft EO but the provisions on its implementation are still being threshed out.
“'Yung nakikita ko na lang na pinag-uusapan talaga (What we are left debating on) is the concept of the operation and how it will be disseminated," Cruz said.
It was during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced a total ban on POGOs.