Marcos urged to cancel licenses of POGOs

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was urged to cancel the licenses to operate of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that cater to Chinese people.

“We respectfully recommend that the President direct the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to cancel immediately the licenses to operate of all POGOs that cater to the Chinese mainland market,” an open letter dated July 15 read.

The three-page letter was signed by alumni of the University of the Philippines-College of Law, including retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former senator Richard Gordon, and former executive secretary Oscar Orbos.

The letter said Marcos should ban POGO operations since the Chinese Embassy in Manila appealed to the Philippine government to ban all POGOs that cater to Chinese people as any form of gambling, including online gambling and overseas gambling, is illegal under their law.

The letter also pointed out that Chinese-owned POGO violates PAGCOR’s regulation, which prohibits gaming websites of POGO from being accessed in the Philippines or in countries where online gaming is prohibited.

The letter also said POGO operations should be canceled as it is operated by syndicates, engage in torture and sex trafficking, use fake documents, do not pay taxes, and bribe the government.  

“There is no legal, moral, economic or social justification to allow such POGOs to operate in the Philippines,” the letter further reads.

The  National Economic and Development Authority earlier expressed support for the ban on POGO despite a potential loss of P20 billion. 

Meanwhile, some senators said they hope that Marcos will announce a total ban on POGO during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) next week.—Mariel Celine Serquiña/AOL, GMA Integrated News