Senators Urge President Marcos to Tackle POGO ban in SONA

Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Sherwin Gatchalian have called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to address the escalating issues surrounding Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, 2024. This comes amid increasing pressure to ban POGO activities entirely in the Philippines.

Pimentel hinted at the possibility of a major announcement from the President. “Who knows, he might just surprise us,” Pimentel was quoted by the Inquirer as saying in a radio interview. “It’s possible that he announces it at the SONA that he’s now banning completely all POGO activities in the Philippines. The President’s popularity and approval rating will surely shoot up if he announces it in his SONA… that would be a good political move. But of course, I am not the political advisor of the President. But it’s indeed possible.”

Pimentel believes that such an announcement would greatly benefit Filipinos. “Of course, everyone’s attention would be focused on that event. We would be surprised. Perhaps not only surprised but also happy. ”

Gatchalian, who has filed Senate Bill No. 2689 to effectively outlaw POGOs, echoed Pimentel’s sentiments and added his support to the calls for a ban. He highlighted the numerous illegal activities linked to POGO companies, including human and sex trafficking, serious illegal detention, money laundering, torture, and online scamming, which undermine national security and social order. “This is precisely what I have been advocating for,” Gatchalian said, emphasizing the social and moral costs associated with POGOs.

Furthermore, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has announced plans to ban POGO hubs. This move aligns with the senators’ advocacy and the ongoing Senate probe revealing the extent of POGO-related illegal activities.

In a related development, both senators have urged suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo to voluntarily surrender following the Senate’s issuance of arrest warrants for her and her family. This comes after repeated absences from Senate inquiries into the POGO industry.

“She should appear at the Senate. The Senate is calling you, so you should appear. If the court doesn’t issue an order in your favor, then you should obey the order of the Senate,” Pimentel insisted. Guo had previously appealed to the Supreme Court to halt the Senate summons, arguing that the inquiry violated her constitutional rights and due process.

Gatchalian added, “She should do a voluntary surrender. I’m sure she is aware that she has a warrant of arrest. She should respect the law.” The Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms, with assistance from the Philippine National Police, has been unable to locate Guo at her farm in Bamban or at garment factories linked to her family. However, they successfully apprehended Nancy Gamo, the accountant for Guo’s family companies, who is now in Senate custody.

The Senate has dispatched four teams to enforce the arrest order against Guo, Gamo, and the mayor’s family members—siblings Sheila, Wesley, and Seimen, as well as their supposed parents, Chinese nationals Jian Zhong Guo and Wenyi Lin. Separate arrest warrants have also been issued against Dennis Cunanan, the authorized representative of Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc., a predecessor of Zun Yuan Technology Inc., which was raided by the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission in Bamban.

Source: Inquirer.Net