ANYWAY, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we’re looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn’t test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power. — American journalist Patrick Jake O’Rourke
HOUSE Deputy Speaker David Suarez recently declared that those involved in the operations of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) which have proliferated across the country shall be held accountable.
The Deputy Speaker’s pronouncement came as the House Quad Committee led by Surigao del Norte District II representative Robert Ace Barbers continues its investigations on the rising tide of criminal activity—among them human trafficking, money laundering, illegal drug trade and other crimes—that have been tied to the illegal POGOs, many of which have been disgracefully linked to Chinese crime syndicates.
Suarez’s declaration signifies a much-needed commitment by the government to restore order and accountability in the Philippines, particularly in the light of the deep crisis the country has been brought into by the illegal POGOs as well as its entanglement with the toxic legacy of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, whose administration not only allowed but actively facilitated the rise of illegal POGOs by shamelessly cozying up to China.
Duterte’s pivot to China during his presidency laid the groundwork for illegal POGOs to flourish unchallenged in the archipelago. What began as a supposed economic boon quickly devolved into a nightmare; the Duterte administration initially promoted POGOs as a vital component of the national economy, highlighting dubious claims of billions of pesos in generated revenues and numerous jobs for unemployed and underemployed Filipinos.
However, it soon became blatantly clear through the House Quad Committee’s investigations that beneath the surface, POGOs were infested with criminal activity—their unregulated and loosely monitored operations serving as a breeding ground for illegal practices.
Reports of human trafficking surged alarmingly as Chinese workers were smuggled into the Philippines under wretched and exploitative conditions to fill up roles in the illegal POGO-related businesses that had been established by Chinese syndicates.
Money laundering operations also ballooned alongside the criminal activities, with vast sums of money moving through untraceable channels even as the regulatory oversight languished in the shadows without any knowledge of what was happening.
Worse yet, illegal POGOs became a haven for criminals, with syndicates—many disturbingly linked to Chinese crime organizations such as the Triads—using the industry as a front for criminal activities, including smuggling illegal drugs onto our shores.
Duterte, being the lap dog he is to his paramour China, failed to protect the Filipino people from the illegal activities perpetuated by syndicates originating from the Chinese mainland. Duterte, who prided himself on a tough stance on law and order, exhibited an inexplicable leniency towards the Chinese, enabling rampant corruption to fester and rot the very foundations of our country’s well-being. His administration’s selective application of justice created a deliberate blind spot through its intimate ties to Chinese interests.
For a leader who repeatedly proclaimed himself the protector of the Filipino people, Duterte’s blatant inaction against these illegal operations and his apparent allegiance to foreign interests left many questioning where his true loyalties really lay.
Duterte’s close and blind relations with China indisputably contributed to his failure to prevent the rise of the illegal POGOs, despite its growing detrimental impact on Philippine society.
Moreover, the influx of disreputable Chinese individuals—associated with Duterte, including the likes of Michael Yang, Allan Lim, and Alice Guo—undoubtedly brought with them crime, exploitation and corruption, leaving ordinary Filipinos to suffer the consequences of his negligence.
House Deputy Speaker David Suarez’s statement is a critical first step towards unearthing the truth behind the illegal POGO crisis devastating our nation.
The House Quad Comm’s investigation aims to lay the groundwork for political accountability, ensuring those who profited from these illegal activities and those who enabled their flourishing are brought to justice.
The Quad Comm investigation serves as a testament to the necessity of checks and balances in a democracy. Duterte’s overwhelming popularity and strongman persona allowed him to rule with impunity for years, but finally, the wheels of justice are turning—and a reckoning is seen on the horizon.
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