SC to probe alleged POGO influence on courts

The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday said it will investigate allegations that some individuals behind Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs may have an influence on the country’s court system.

“The SC will investigate these,” High Court spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting said in a message to reporters.

Ting was sought for comment after Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said that the recent raid of a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga showed the possible influence of Chinese syndicates on the judiciary.

"Ang kutob ko dito hindi lang enforcement agency, pati judiciary meron na silang mga tao. Dahil kung mapapansin natin itong mga last few warrant of arrest na nangyari, puro sa Bulacan courts," Gatchalian said on Thursday.

(My hunch is that the people behind the POGOs have insiders not just in law enforcement agencies, but even in the judiciary. We may notice that the last few warrants of arrest that came out were from Bulacan courts.)

"Siguro alam nila na dito na naman pupunta, nagkaroon na sila ng mga mata at tenga dun sa korte at nalaman na nila," added Gatchalian.

(Perhaps the criminals know that operations will be held in the same area. They have gained eyes and ears in the court and they are tipped about what's coming.)

Gatchalian made the statement after the raid only led to the arrest of 158 Chinese, Vietnamese, and Malaysian nationals.

Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) spokesperson Dr. Winston John Casio said they expected to arrest more than 1,000, but that information on the operation may have been leaked.

Operatives of PAOCC, the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group raided the POGO hub due to reports of scamming activities, torture, kidnapping at sex trafficking.

Meanwhile, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros vowed to "get to the bottom of who is accountable" on the POGO operations in Porac as she lamented that "there seemed to be a leak prior to the operation."

"Sinumang nakikipagsabwatan sa mga sindikatong Chinese ay mananagot. (Whoever connives with the Chinese syndicates will be held accountable.) Our Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality will ensure that victim-survivors of abuse and exploitation will get the justice they deserve...Indeed, wherever there is POGO, there is crime," Hontiveros said in a statement.

--with Hana Bordey/ VAL, GMA Integrated News