PAGCOR urged to aid in returning workers of closed POGOs to their countries

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), which is on top of operations against Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), is urging the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to help them return foreign workers of discontinued POGOs to return to their countries.

“Kami ay nananawagan, sa pakikipagtulungan ng ibang mga ahensya, lalo na sa regulatory authority ng PAGCOR, dapat kalampagin nila itong mga ito na umalis na ngayon. Bakit po? Kapag hindi umalis ang mga iyan ngayon, ang marami sa mga ‘yan ay naghahanap ng paraan paano makapag-underground at maging mga iligal,” PAOCC spokesperson Dr. Winston Casio said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview aired on October 20, 2024.

(We are calling on PAGCOR to persistently remind POGOs to leave as soon as possible. Why? Because if they do not leave, a lot of them will look for ways to operate underground and illegally.)

“So yun ang problema, habang pinatatagal po natin ang mga iyan, ay nakakahanap ng paraan ang mga ‘yan para manatili pa rin sa bansa natin. There are so many regulatory loopholes as far is gambling is concerned kaya nagmamakaawa ho kami para masunod natin yung direktiba ng Pangulo na mapaalis na ito nang tuluyan,” he added.

(That’s the problem – while we are allowing them to stay longer, they will find ways to stay longer here. There are so many regulatory loopholes as far as gambling is concerned so we are asking them for help so that we can follow the President’s directive to entirely remove POGOs.)

At the time of the report, first done by GMA News Online, PAOCC said 34 POGOs have been continuing their operations.

Immigration authorities previously around 12,000 foreign workers of POGOs have applied to downgrade their visas, following President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’ directive of banning all POGOs during his State of the Nation Address.

Since the crackdown, the National Bureau of Investigation shared some POGOs are trying to splinter and set up operations in residential areas.

Some government officials have also been implicated in the operations and the regulations on POGOs. Authorities are also looking at the possibility of POGO funds being linked to the drug war “reward system” which was allegedly implemented during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Read related article: Solons Investigating if POGO Funds are Linked to Alleged Drug War “Reward System”