PH POGO-free by 2025 but gov’t braces for underground operations

Metro Manila, Philippines – The government is confident that the country will be free from offshore gaming operators (POGOs) under the ban imposed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. this year but it should brace for the mushrooming of underground activities, a Cabinet official said on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

In a press briefing, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said that while POGOs will be phased out, “guerrilla operations” might flourish.

“All licenses are cancelled – so POGO-free tayo; guerilla operations will flourish but we will go after them,” said Remulla.

[Translation: All licenses are cancelled – so we’re POGO-free; guerrilla operations will flourish, but we will go after them.]

He said the department will recommend the issuance of an executive order requiring local chief executives to submit a report on suspicious activities in their areas, including the possible movement or setup of POGO.

“Malalaman ‘yan sa spike bigla ng bandwidth use, entry of suspicious people, congregating in houses not registered as businesses. Makikita ‘yan sa movement ng mga foreigners na gusto mag-setup diyan na hindi naman kilala. So they are enjoined to report immediately sa amin para malaman namin at makagawa kami ng aksyon,” Remulla added.

[Translation: This can be detected through a sudden spike in bandwidth use, the entry of suspicious people, or congregating in houses not registered as businesses. It will also be noticeable through the movement of foreigners who want to set up operations without being known. They are encouraged to report immediately to us so we can act accordingly.]

Law enforcers said they are prepared for the rise of clandestine POGOs.

“Tingin ko mayroon naman kaming sapat na resources and of course iyong mga personnel ‘no – we have the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Immigration. At saka hindi na ito kagaya noong mga niri-raid natin noong una na talagang isang malaking hub na libo-libo ang nakukuha natin ‘no, now we are looking at hundreds na lang of people and probably baka less than 50 na mga foreign national,” said Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission Executive Director Gilbert Cruz.

[Translation: I think we have enough resources and, of course, personnel – we have the PNP, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Immigration. This is no longer like the large hubs we used to raid before, where thousands of individuals were apprehended. Now we are looking at just hundreds of people, and probably less than 50 foreign nationals.]

“Kasi ang nangyayari rito talagang they form a smaller group na puwede sa malilit na bahay, sa mga subdivisions or apartments or condominiums, sometimes in a resort – iyong isang tinatrabaho kasi namin sa resort, tapos iyong isa ay isang palapag sa isang building ang inupahan,” he added.

[Translation: What happens here is they form smaller groups that can operate in small houses, subdivisions, apartments, or condominiums, sometimes even in a resort. For instance, we’re working on one case in a resort, and another where they rented a single floor in a building.]

In the same briefing, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation announced that the licenses of remaining POGOs will be revoked by Dec. 15.

In his third State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. declared a ban against all kinds of offshore gaming nationwide.