'Laban kontra POGO': PNP backs unified protocols to tighten crackdown on illegal offshore gaming ops
(File photo)
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday, April 24, declared its support for a new interagency framework aimed at tightening enforcement of the government’s ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said the organization supports the signing of the interagency Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) last Wednesday, April 22, which will fully implement Executive Order No. 74, the executive order banning POGOs, signed by the President on Nov. 5, 2024.
“This new measure adds more teeth in our ongoing campaign to finally put an end to the remaining guerrilla-type operations of POGOs in the country,” he said.
“The success of this effort lies in the proper coordination and strong cooperation among agencies and stakeholders. We welcome this development,” he added.
The SOP serves as an “omnibus action plan” that consolidates 15 laws and department orders into a single enforcement framework. It covers the full process from intelligence gathering and operations to prosecution, asset seizure, and victim protection.
Under the new system, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) will lead coordination efforts.
The Department of Justice will embed prosecutors early in case build-up while the Anti-Money Laundering Council and Securities and Exchange Commission will track financial flows linked to illegal operations. The Department of Social Welfare and Development, on the other hand, will provide shelter and support for trafficked individuals.
Nartatez emphasized that sustained enforcement depends on coordination among agencies.
“This SOP will evolve the government’s measures—from raiding and shutting down hubs to seizing illicit assets and resources, as well as securing convictions of the syndicates behind these POGO operations,” Nartatez shared.
Meanwhile, the PNP chief said police operations will continue until the remaining elements of the illegal POGO network are accounted for.
The PNP has since intensified efforts to dismantle the remaining illegal POGO hubs in the country since the signing of EO 74 last year as authorities have repeatedly flagged that some operators have continued underground operations despite closures and earlier raids.