Two days ahead of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday convened law enforcement agencies and local government units in Metro Manila and parts of Luzon regarding the drive to eradicate illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
According to a Super Radyo dzBB report by Luisito Santos, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. presided over the meeting in Camp Crame on Saturday afternoon with LGU representatives from Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog.
Earlier in the day, Abalos also held a similar meeting in Pampanga with representatives from the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon.
National government officials at the Camp Crame meeting included Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Director Louie Puracan, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Tengco, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, and representatives from the Department of Justice, and Department of Labor and Employment.
The meeting sought to resolve problems and issues with regard to illegal POGOs, the Super Radyo dzBB report said. Based on an earlier DILG advisory, the event was aimed at interfacing on peace and order and public safety issues on scam farms.
The report added that the DILG was set to discuss the powers of LGUs and law enforcement units to inspect, suspend and revoke permits of establishments suspected of illegal POGO operations.
Last June, PAGCOR reported the number of POGO licensees has dropped from 298 during the previous administration to only 43, citing the Marcos administration’s efforts to weed out illegal operators.
Over the past months, law enforcers have sought to intensify their crackdown on criminal syndicates behind illegal online gambling operators amid POGO raids in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga.
Heading into his SONA on July 22, Marcos has yet to issue a decision regarding a possible ban on all POGOs.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has already recommended in writing to the President the halt of operations of POGOs, given the recent issues surrounding the industry.
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan has also expressed support for the ban on POGOs despite a potential revenue loss amounting to P20 billion. — Sherylin Untalan/ VDV, GMA Integrated News
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