Senate Committee Endorses Bill Outlawing POGOs in PH

November 8, 2024 Philippines Crime & Legal

Senators have expressed unwavering support for a bill that seeks to outlaw all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) across the country, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said.

In a statement, Gatchalian shared that all members of the Committee on Ways and Means signed a measure endorsing the approval of Senate Bill 2868, which will permanently ban all POGO operations and repeal Republic Act 11590, the law that legalized the industry in the Philippines.

The proposed measure, which has gained overwhelming backing, was highlighted by Senator Win Gatchalian, the bill’s primary author and Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.

“I am delighted to find out that all members of the Committee on Ways and Means signed Committee Report 342, signaling their full endorsement of this crucial measure,” said Gatchalian.

Senators Risa Hontiveros, a staunch POGO critic, alongside JV Ejercito, Mark Villar, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Ronald Dela Rosa, and several others such as President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Majority Floor Leader Francis Tolentino have also signed the report, which Gatchalian’s office describes as a broad bipartisan consensus on the issue.

Gatchalian expressed confidence that the Senate could ratify the bill within the year, aligning with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for POGOs to cease operations by year-end.

He emphasized that passing the bill would help eliminate the various criminal activities that have been linked to the POGO industry, such as human trafficking, kidnapping, and online scams.

“Legislating the ban on POGOs would hopefully bring to an end all the various criminalities spawned by the industry,” he said.