PH open to law-abiding POGOs —Romualdez

Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that strictly follow Philippine laws will not have problems in doing business in the country, Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte said Wednesday.

Romualdez made the position amid the spate of raids that uncovered POGO hubs being used as scam and human trafficking sites in Tarlac and Pampanga provinces.

“For me, what’s important is that all our (POGO) stakeholders must follow the rule of law. And for those who will violate our laws, then I must say you’ll be sorry because our law enforcers will definitely be going after you. We will implement our law to the fullest,” he said.

“If they are doing everything illegal, then they will really be arrested. But if they will just be law-abiders, then I don’t think we will have any problems,” he added.

Romualdez also responded to calls to prohibit POGOs, saying that banning is an option but not necessarily the only choice.

“We're open to hearing all issues concerning the POGO. We have a process for that (banning POGOs), we have to go through that process where hearings will be held and we have to hear the concerns of all our stakeholders, what is their position," Romualdez said.

"And from there, we will be weighing our options on what to do best with them,” Romualdez added.

A bill banning POGOs amid its lingering links to criminal activities was approved at the Committee level in the House of Representatives last February, but it has yet to be sponsored before the plenary.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission also said on Wednesday that there are around 300 illegal POGOs doing business in the Philippines. 

Also on Wednesday, Defense chief Gilbert Teodoro, Jr. said that POGOs linked to crime syndicates are of national security concern. —LDF, GMA Integrated News