PAGCOR: Cases vs. unlicensed POGOs easily dismissed

Many cases filed by the government against unlicensed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) ended up getting dismissed by courts because they are not based in the Philippines, according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

PAGCOR Vice Chairman Jose Tria made the admission during Tuesday's hearing of the House Committee on Games and Amusements when quizzed about government action on over 100 unlicensed POGOs in the country.

"We are having a hard time because this is a violation of cybercrime law. The elements comprising the violation are of different jurisdiction. POGOs are [based] outside the Philippines; the bets are placed from outside the Philippines. What we have here are platforms [for placing bets on online games]," Tria said.

"Ang usual case po na nangyayari ay nadi-dismiss ang case once it is filed," Tria added.

Senator Joel Villanueva, who chairs the Senate labor committee, earlier called for the suspension of POGO operations due to the unabated entry of POGO workers on tourist visas, prostitution dens masquerading as POGO hubs, and uncollected taxes from POGOs worth as much as P50 billion.

On Monday, an informant from the Bureau of Immigration also revealed in the Senate that Chinese POGO workers get past immigration checks by bribing immigration personnel by as much as P10,000 per worker.

Based on National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) records also submitted before the House Games and Amusements panel headed by Dasmariñas City Representative Elpidio Barzaga, at least 167 foreign workers under the employ of unlicensed POGO operators have been arrested, of whom 159 are Chinese.

The NBI data also showed that most of unlicensed POGO operations largely go undetected since they use residential areas as hubs.

Given the multitude of problems, Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez of South Cotabato urged Pagcor to do better in going after personnel who work for unlicensed POGO operators.

“Are you really serious in addressing the problem here? There have been a lot of violations and worst, sex trafficking. The fact that there are only 60 licensed POGOs as against over 100 POGOs without a license is already alarming,” Hernandez said.

“Kailangan ma-control ‘yan,” he added. —KBK/BM, GMA News