SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday assured that those involved in the illegal activities associated with the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) will face the full force of the law.
“Those who are accountable will have to face the law,” Speaker Romualdez told a press conference held inside the sprawling POGO hub operated by Lucky South 99 Inc. in Porac, Pampanga.
Romualdez led several House officials in conducting an ocular inspection of the 10-hectare POGO hub with 46 buildings, which were raided by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) in June.
The House delegation also inspected the POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac operated by Zun Yuan Ti and the warehouse of Empire 999 Realty Corp. in Mexico, Pampanga, where P3.6-billion worth of shabu was seized by authorities last year.
A joint inquiry by the House Committees on Public Order and Safety and on Games and Amusements recently revealed a complex network of Chinese nationals, including businessman and former presidential adviser Michael Yang, involved in illegal POGOs and drug trafficking.
Romualdez noted that the POGO industry and its associated illegal activities flourished during the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
“Noong nakaraang administrasyon, na-establish ang industriya at lumago. Congress came up with a law so that it would be regulated for the purpose of collecting taxes. Pero ngayon, nakikita natin na dumami ang illegal activities na ginagamit ito bilang front,” the Speaker said.
Exercising their oversight function, Speaker Romualdez and the chairpersons of different House committees inspected the POGO hubs and Mexico warehouse as part of the broader crackdown initiated by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.
The President, in his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), ordered an immediate ban on POGOs and instructed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) to wind down all POGOs by the end of the year.
Romualdez said the inspection was necessary because these sites appeared in reports and needed to be inspected to guide the creation and consolidation of pending bills on POGO and determine what to do with the stakeholders involved, including displaced Filipino workers and foreign nationals.
“Those who have been displaced, the government will accommodate so long as they are not complicit in any illegal activities. What to do with all of these assets? How do we move forward para hindi na ito maulit?” he explained.
Very offensive
During the inspection, Romualdez observed firsthand the conditions and activities within the POGO hubs.
“Kaya nandito tayo lahat para hindi lang ang nakikita natin sa video, tayo mismo nakikita na talaga kung ano ang nangyayari dito. Nagugulat kami dito kasi iba talaga very, very offensive ang nangyayari sa nakita natin dito,” he said.
He continued, “Kung sana ‘yung nag-operate ng POGO ay nag-focus lang sa tamang operations nila, pero nakita natin may mga scam farms, love scams, human trafficking, prostitution, at illegal pornography dito. Maraming masasamang nangyayari. Ginawang front na lang ang isang legitimate operation.”
Romualdez said that the Marcos administration remains unwavering in its commitment to justice and will hold those behind illegal POGO activities accountable.
“Kaya sabi ni President BBM, kung ginagamit mo lang ito bilang front, ipapatigil natin ito para ilabas lahat ng ilegal na activities at ang mga nasa likod nito ay haharapin ang buong puwersa ng batas,” he asserted.
Whole-of-government approach
The House chief also reiterated the whole-of-government approach as articulated by the President in his SONA.
”Kaya nandito tayo, ito ang sinasabi na whole of government approach. Nagsalita ang Presidente sa SONA, may ginaganap even bago mag-SONA na policy instructions to look into, enforce the rules and regulations to actually—as what happened here several months ago—shut down illegal operations,” he pointed out.
“Ito talaga na-proliferate during the previous administration. Dito tayo naka-crackdown ngayon. So we have to work very seriously, seryosong-seryoso talaga ang administrasyon ni PBBM dito sa issue na ito,” he added.
Speaker Romualdez emphasized the need for a coordinated approach among various House committees and agencies.
He said a resolution is being prepared to ensure that the House Committees on Public Order and Safety, on Dangerous Drugs, and on Human Rights will work closely together in investigating all issues related to POGOs.
“Nadidinig natin itong nangyayari dito na pang-aabuso sa mga workers, at may naririnig din tayong EJK (extrajudicial killings) na one way or another, directly or indirectly involved here,” the Speaker said.
Romualdez acknowledged the interrelations and overlapping issues requiring collaborative efforts among House committees.
“Maraming bills dito sa POGO pero nakikita natin na maraming inter-relations na di kakayanin ng isang komite kasi maraming subjects. Ganoon ang istilo natin sa Kongreso, kada issue or subject matter, mayroong nakatutok na komite,” the Speaker explained.
“Pero merong mga spill over, may mga interrelations and overlapping issues na siguro kailangan mako-collaborate para mas magiging meaningful, mas magiging mas comprehensive,” he stressed.
The Speaker was joined in the inspection by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., and the chairpersons of the different House committees: Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez (Public Order and Safety), Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Dangerous Drugs), Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano (Public Accounts), Cavite 6th District Rep. Antonio Ferrer (Games and Amusements), and Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop (Tranportation).
Also present were Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin, and Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Ty Pimentel.
