Three POGOs in the Philippines are cleared of charges of human trafficking

January 31, 2023 Philippines Crime & Legal iGaming & Gambling

The Philippines Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) sector has caused the nation more trouble than necessary because to claims of, among other things, kidnapping, and human trafficking. Despite the commotion, at least three of the operators who were the subject of the accusations have now been exonerated.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, the country’s gaming regulator, has recently come under increased pressure to be abolished (PAGCOR). Legislators have complained that the response to the perpetrators of human trafficking has been slow.

MOA Cloudzone Corp. was one of the organizations that Senator Sherwin Gatchalian singled out as culpable. The Philippine Depa

The DOJ cleared Cloudzone, Shuang Ma Company, and Oriental Group of allegations of human trafficking, according to the Philippine News Agency. The government agency denied the allegations in November, but it has just recently made its case.

Without Proof of Crime
After receiving a report from the Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Center, the case got started two months ago (PNP-WCPC). It stood for 13 Burmese labourers who had been imprisoned in a Paraaque City home.

According to the CIA, the people allegedly worked for the three POGOs. The allegations were not supported by an inquiry. Instead, they identified a single person as being in charge of hiring the staff. All of this had been planned by Christine Chue Ni Quian, who is currently charged with human trafficking.

Under the name Chue Thiri Ngone, she had posted job openings in numerous industries, hired individuals, and sent them to Paraaque City. When conducting phone scams, employees discovered slave-like conditions that included beatings and punishments for failing to achieve employment quotas.

Quian, who is most likely Chinese, was operating in a manner reminiscent of those discovered in Cambodia. Some workers also faced threats of being sold to other Chinese firms that employed similar strategies, in addition to the threats of torture and starvation.

Even when the DOJ exonerated the businesses, the harm had already been done. The POGO component is currently being attempted to be shut down, which MPs claim won’t harm the economy. This is true even though the sector’s tax receipts added US$642.95 million to the economy.

Additionally, legislators have contended that POGOs’ negative reputation discourages fresh foreign investment. But perhaps that won’t be a problem any more if the POGO segment starts to clean itself up.

POGOs Require Care
The gaming industry should not be shut down, according to PAGCOR. Although it acknowledges that there have been problems in the industry, it is important to note that none of the licensed businesses engage in illicit activity.

Legislators should give the section another chance, according to PAGCOR, rather than ending it. This week, PAGCOR stated that it wanted to “nurture” its development and assist it in becoming a significant player in the gambling sector.

Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., the president, might make the final choice. He previously stated that if there was any risk that the section might spiral out of hand, he would be ready to cut it. He might change his mind, though, if PAGCOR is accurate and there haven’t been any unfavorable events in almost a year.