MANILA – At least 80 percent of the 400 Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) hubs have already ceased their operations in the country, while those defying the total ban order have resorted to a “guerilla” style, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said Tuesday.
During the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon program, PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert Cruz said “small-scale” POGO operations in Northern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are being monitored.
Cruz said around 27,000 of 40,000 POGO workers in the country have already been deported by the Bureau of Immigration.
He said some of those operating the POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga were able to escape and continued their illegal activities mostly in the Visayas.
He said the small-scale POGOs are usually composed of 20 to 50 individuals who are renting two rooms to conduct scamming activities.
“Mayroon po tayong mga monitoring na ginagawa and ‘yun nga, nakatutok din tayo sa Visayas kasi may mga reports tayo na natatanggap na naglipatan (We have monitoring activities going on and that is why we are also focusing in the Visayas because we have received reports that they transferred there),” Cruz said.
“‘Yung ibang nakawala doon, ang monitoring namin, nagtakbuhan ng Visayas and Mindanao. But mostly sa Visayas namin nakita (The others who escaped, based on our monitoring, are in the Visayas and Mindanao. But mostly, we have seen them in the Visayas),” he added.
Cruz said small-scale POGOs are working in smaller areas, such as resorts, apartments, subdivisions or gated communities.
He added that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is convinced that the POGOs would not be able to continue their operations in the country “without the knowledge ng mga (of) local government officials, especially the barangay (village) officials.”
The sudden influx of foreign nationals in areas such as private resorts, as well as the rise in food deliveries, are possible indicators that there is a POGO operation, Cruz said.
“Ang POGO kasi hindi naman tatayo iyan dahil (POGOs would not be able to operate because) they need online, internet connections, they need computers, kailangan nila ng tao, kailangan nila ng foreign nationals para mag-guide sa kanila o magtimon sa kanila (they need manpower, they need foreign nationals who can guide or lead them),” Cruz said.
“So, sa ngayon, gumagamit pa rin sila ng mga foreign nationals at iyong foreign nationals pa rin ‘yung nasa ulo ng small-scale POGO operation and iyong mga keyboard operators, mga Filipino (For now, they are still using foreign nationals and those foreign nationals are still the ones behind the small-scale POGO operation and those keyboard operators are Filipinos),” he added.
Cruz earlier said cases have been filed against local executives because of their negligence and failure to address widespread POGO activities within their jurisdictions.
In his third State of the Nation Address in July last year, Marcos announced a nationwide ban on all POGOs, legitimate and otherwise, with a complete phaseout by December 31, 2024, after the industry was marred with human trafficking, prostitution, abduction and murder.
Marcos signed Executive Order 74 on November 4 last year, imposing an immediate ban on offshore and Internet gaming operations in the country. (PNA)