Gatchalian hits Pagcor’s alleged amnesia on Pogos: Nahawa kay Guo?

FILE PHOTO: Senator Sherwin Gatchalian during the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on May 29, 2024. Gatchalian criticized the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) for saying that the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) raided by authorities are only those without licenses. INQUIRER.net file photo / NOY MORCOSO

MANILA, Philippines — Has the country’s gaming regulator been infected by suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo’s amnesia?

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian thinks so, as he criticized the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) for saying that the Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) raided by authorities are only those without licenses.

“Tila nahawa na yata ang Pagcor kay Mayor Alice Guo at hindi na naalala na ‘yung ibang nare-raid na Pogo ay lisensyado nila mismo,” the senator said in a statement Tuesday.

(It seems that Pagcor has already been infected by Mayor Alice Guo and has conveniently forgotten that some of the raided Pogos are licensed by them.)

READ: Pogo crackdown widens; ‘250 to 300’ not licensed

Guo gained notoriety for not remembering details about her past when she faced a Senate panel probe into her alleged links to Pogo firms Hongsheng Gaming Technology and Zun Yuan Technology Inc.

“Pagcor’s blatant failure to regulate the Pogo industry has led us to a situation where Pogos have become a menace to our society,” Gatchalian continued.

“Kaya naglipana ang mga Pogo hanggang ngayon kasi tinatanggalan nga ng Pagcor ng lisensiya ang ibang Pogo, pero ‘yung employment permit hindi naman kinakansela, hindi naman minomonitor, walang maayos na regulasyon. Kaya tuloy ang ligaya ng mga Pogo sa bansa,” he added.

(That’s why Pogos have continued to proliferate up to now. While Pagcor revokes licenses from some Pogos, they do not cancel or monitor employment permits, resulting in inadequate regulation. This allows Pogos to thrive in the country unchecked)

Pagcor chairman Alejandro Tengco pegged the number of unlicensed Pogos between 250 and 300.

But Gatchalian enumerated in the same statement some licensed Pogo firms that were raided last year, such as Colorful and Leaf Group, a sublessee of Pacgor-licensed CGC Technologies located in SunValley in Clark, Pampanga; Smartweb Technology Corp.; and Rivendell in Pasay City.

All these firms, he said, were involved in human trafficking, illegal detention, torture, various forms of online fraud and scamming, and prostitution.

Hongsheng and Zun Yuan, located in Guo’s town of Bamban, also had valid gaming licenses from Pagtcor at the time they were raided by authorities, the senator pointed out.

Citing official documents, Gatchalian disclosed that Pagcor even conducted an inspection of Hongsheng weeks before it was raided on February 1, 2023, as inspection papers showed compliance with health and safety protocols.

“What is even more baffling is that Pagcor inspected Hongsheng on the same day it was raided,” the senator said in frustration.

After the raid, Hongsheng reportedly continued its operation as Zun Yuan Technology.

READ: DND: Teodoro says Pogo a national security concern

Zuan Yuan also had a provisional license when it was raided by authorities last March 13, Gatchalian said, again citing official record from Pagcor.

He said that before the March 13 raid, Pagcor also inspected Zun Yuan from March 1 to 10 but found no irregularities during the inspection.

In the case of Pogo firm Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Inc. in Porac, Pampanga, which was raided on June 4, Gatchalian said they have proof that the company was connected to Hongsheng.

“’Yung mga walang lisensya, ginagamit nila ang may lisensya para makapasok dito sa Pilipinas ang foreign nationals na gumagawa ng mga krimen,” he said.

(Those without licenses use those who have licenses to bring foreign nationals committing crimes into the Philippines.)

“At ‘pag may lisensya ka na sa Pagcor, mabibigyan ka na rin ng Alien Employment Permit mula sa DOLE (Department of Labor) pati na Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card mula sa Bureau of Immigration,” he added.

(And once you have a license from Pagcor, you will also be given an Alien Employment Permit from the DOLE and an Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card from the Bureau of Immigration.)

NOTE: The English translations in the article were AI-generated.