'Handled pretty well': NSC not yet tagging POGOs as national security threat

The National Security Council (NSC) is not yet considering the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) as a national security threat.

Speaking before a Senate panel, NSC Assistant Director General Francis Jude Lauengco expressed support for bills seeking to ban online gambling and taxing POGOs, saying they are considering this as a "very serious national security concern."

"We support the passage of legislative measures that would outlaw and criminalize illegal POGO operations and thereby totally ban such POGOs and IGLs (Internet Gaming Licensees) in the country," Lauengco said.

"We have seen the extent of criminal activities they conducted in some of the IGLs and POGO facilities particularly human trafficking, cyber fraud, prostitution, etcetera, etcetera, which to us, has become a very serious national concern that are now being addressed by the appropriate law enforcement agencies," he added.

According to Lauengco, they are now consulting with the appropriate agencies that includes the National Intelligence Board in conducting an assessment on POGOs as a national security concern.

While he welcomed the support of the NSC on the ban on POGOs, Senator Sherwin Gatchlian asked why the council has yet to consider these as a national security threat.

The senator, who has been pushing for the total ban on the industry, mentioned the alleged criminal syndicates that are operating in the country, the discovery of Chinese military uniforms, and the arrest of a Chinese hacking expert who admitted that he is connected with POGOs and was found to be in possession of ammunition and firearms.

"What would it take, what scenario should happen in relation to POGO that it would be elevated to a national security threat? For me, all the fingerprints of a national security threat [are] already there, especially the hacking expert that we discovered," Gatchalian said.

"In my mind, what are we still waiting for to declare it as a national security threat? All the red flags are already there and all of those are pointing to POGO as the origin of those circumstances," he emphasized.

Responding to Gatchalian, Lauengco said these POGO-related issues are still handled by the law enforcement agencies as well as the regulatory agencies "pretty well."

"Right now, the issue is handled pretty well or we're satisfied with how this is being handled by the law enforcement and the regulatory agencies," the NSC official said.

"But I am taking from the statement of the NSA (National Security Adviser) when he mentioned that the response to this does not have to include the drastic responses. For example, involving the AFP in addressing national security threats like the CPP-NPA terrorist threats. This is where I'm coming from, from the statement already given by the NSC [in] this regard," he added.

Further, Lauengco explained that the NSC considers several elements before they consider a matter as a national security threat.

"We look at some elements like territorial integrity, sovereignty, social cohesiveness, political stability. And at this point in time, we don't see that happening," he said.

"But we are, of course, we are now in consultation with the National Intelligence Board and the other agencies to get that assessment. So that this would help the president, later on, come up with a better appreciation on how to look at this POGO issue," added the NSC official.

Gatchalian urged the NSC not to "wait for the detonation of a bigger scenario" and the "red flags" of the industry should be enough for the government to declare it as a national security threat.

"We all saw the pictures. Operating in our country, that is already very concerning that these people go around freely, they can do whatever they want, and with a large amount of money coming from money laundering, that's adding more potential to what they can do," Gatchalian said.

In ending the exchange, Lauengco said they share the position of the economic agencies that if the social costs are greater than the economic benefits, then there is no reason for POGOs to continue their operations.— RF, GMA Integrated News