Senate probe on raided POGOs to continue despite Marcos ban

The Senate investigation into the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator hubs would continue despite President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s announcement that the government would ban POGOs.

Senators Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatchalian revealed this after Marcos' third State of the Nation Address (SONA) during which he announced the POGO ban.

"Our Senate hearings will continue to demand accountability. We will also continue to ensure that we strengthen policies that would prevent industries like POGOs from ever emerging again," Hontiveros, who leads the Senate investigation into the matter, said in a statement.

For his part, Gatchalian said the Senate panel would continue the probe to find the "masterminds" of POGO operations.

"Itutuloy namin para mahanap 'yung mga mastermind nitong POGO, at, of course, bibigyang pansin din namin 'yung ating mga kababayan na nagtatrabaho sa POGO. May mga 20,000 na directly nagtatrabaho sa POGO at hindi namin sila papabayaan. Sisiguraduhin natin na maalagaan sila," Gatchalian said.

Hontiveros and Gatchalian, who both called for a total ban on POGOs, admitted that they did not pay much attention to the early part of Marcos' speech as there was no mention of POGOs.

But they were surprised that the total ban was the SONA's "grand finale."

"Nakaramdam talaga ako na malaking tagumpay ito sa mga babae at bata na nagsumbong, sa mga whistleblower ng nagsumbong. Ito'y importanteng tagumpay para sa mamamayan lalo na kung sa agenda ng kababaihan at mga bata at pati sa agenda ng pagrespeto ng lahat ng ating mga Pilipino pati ng mga dayuhan sa batas ng ating republika," Hontiveros told reporters.

"Nasa grand finale pala 'yung pagba-ban ng POGO... Masayang-masaya ako. Nakakaluha, nakakatuwa. Ito 'yung masasabi natin na magbibigay ng katahimikan at kaayusan sa ating bansa," Gatchalian said.

For Gatchalian, this was the time to separate the regulatory and operational functions of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

"Ito rin ay patunay din na ang conflict of interest ng PAGCOR ay sumira sa ating bansa... Ihiwalay ang regulatory at operation function ng PAGCOR. Hindi talaga pwedeng ipagsama dahil naapektuhan 'yung paghihigpit at pinababayaan na lang ang mga ganitong sindikato na nag-ooperate sa ating bansa," the senator said.

Meanwhile, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel urged the Senate and the House of Representatives to pass the bill banning POGOs to avoid confusion among implementing agencies.

"Ang sinabi ng pangulo sa SONA, kailangan talaga masulat yan. Hindi kasi pwede yung verbal lang tapos pwedeng hindi naman talaga yon ma-implement ng nasa baba... Ibig sabihin signal iyon sa Kamara at maging sa Senado na dapat ipasa ang bill kasi may mga debate pa e kung dapat ba i-regulate lang, ayusin ang monitoring...with that signal, dapat gawin na ang pagpasa ng batas," Manuel told GMA News Online in an ambush interview.

Meanwhile, Gatchalian, who leads the hearings on the bills banning POGOs, said he would consult his colleagues on whether they still needed to pass the measures against POGOs.

"Pag-uusapan namin sa committee kung itutuloy pa o hindi dahil nga may pronouncement na ang Pangulo. Pero alam naman natin kapag nagpalit ng Pangulo baka magbago uli. So pag-aaralan namin kung itutuloy pa ang POGO bill," Gatchalian said.

For his part, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero acknowledged Hontiveros and Gatchalian's efforts in tackling the POGO issue.

The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality has been investigating the raided POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga.

The hearings uncovered issues on fake birth certificates, possible identity thefts, and possible money laundering schemes, among others. — DVM, GMA Integrated News