House Committee on Public Order and Safety Chair Dan Fernandez on Sunday said his committee is considering to look into possible criminal activities related to online gaming amid the nationwide ban of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs).
“As far as I know, right now, Wala pa akong na re-receive [na data on criminal activities in relation to online gaming]. If ever, sa susunod na hearing, we will be passing also ‘yung ating PNP (Philippine National Police) to give us the details about doon sa online gaming,” Fernandez said in an interview at Super Radyo DZBB.
(As far as I know, right now, I have yet to receive data on criminal activities in relation to online gaming. If ever, in the next hearing, we will ask the PNP to give us the details about it.)
“Kung sakali makita natin na mataas rin ang statistics ng mga criminal activities involving that kind of game, then I think kailangan na rin natin isara ‘yan,” the lawmaker added.
(In case we find that statistics on criminal activities involving that game are high, then I think we will also need to shut it down.)
A number of POGOs such as in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga were found to be involved in major crimes such as kidnapping, human trafficking, and prostitution.
The House Committee on Public Order and Safety is set to have another hearing on the criminal activities linked to POGOs with the Committee Games and Amusements on Wednesday, July 31.
Listed digital gaming firm DigiPlus, the company behind popular gaming brand BingoPlus, said it is not affected by the ban on POGOs since it is a local gaming operator and not a POGO or Internet Gaming Licensee (IGL).
Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier said the House of Representatives will craft and prioritize a bill banning POGOs in the country.
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairperson Alejandro Tengco has appealed to Malacañang that 12 of the 43 POGO companies in the Philippines be spared from the ban as these are customer service agents for gaming companies.—RF, GMA Integrated News
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