Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has called for an increase in the national police intelligence fund to combat illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has called for an increase in the Philippine National Police’s intelligence fund to combat illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
In his statement issued November 18, 2024, he highlighted a decrease in the PNP's intelligence budget, from P1.356 billion in 2023 to P806.025 million in 2025, despite the need for enhanced law enforcement against POGOs involved in illegal activities like kidnapping, human trafficking, and online scams.
"The PNP needs funds to gather intelligence, particularly in the fight against POGOs," Gatchalian said, citing entities who masquerade as other companies to cover up their operations.
Meanwhile, Gatchalian has urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to proactively cancel Alien Employment Permits (AEPs) for foreign workers linked to POGOs, as he urged a more proactive approach against these offshore gaming operators.
"POGO entities are morphing into something else so they could stay in the country and continue their scamming activities," Gatchalian noted as he interpellated on DOLE's proposed budget for 2025.
"We need a very proactive approach to cancel and eventually send these workers to their country of origin and we need the entire government machinery to work together to cut the legal basis for these individuals to stay in the Philippines," he stressed.
DOLE reported the issuance of 15,819 AEPs in 2024 and has already canceled 36,000 permits since the ban announcement. To address potential job losses among 27,590 Filipino POGO workers, Gatchalian encouraged DOLE to enhance employment facilitation programs, such as job fairs, to ensure displaced workers find meaningful employment.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order No. 74 mandates a complete ban on POGO operations by December 31, 2024, with the PNP tasked to intensify their efforts against illegal activities such as human trafficking, online scams, and kidnappings linked to POGOs.
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