PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco (Photo from PAGCOR/INQUIRER files)
MANILA, Philippines— Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hubs will not be allowed anymore, state gaming regulator told senators on Wednesday.
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) chief Alejandro Tengco disclosed this new policy when Senator Sherwin Gatchalian sought for an assurance that criminalities from Pogos will not happen again.
Gatchalian mentioned in particular the raided Pogo firm in Porac, Pampanga last month which was allegedly being used for human trafficking and other criminal activities such as torture.
READ: Pampanga Pogo linked to scams, trafficking; 186 rescued in raid
Initially, Tengco said he could not make such a promise but added that Pagcor will do its best to strictly monitor the remaining 43 licensed Pogo firms.
He said they will be doing some “enhancements,” and one of them is to ban Pogo hubs.
“We’re coming out with certain guidelines. We’re already banning hubs,” the Pagcor chief said.
“In the mean time, there is no order for closure, this early I can inform everybody that we will not allow any hub existing or going to be applied for. We will not approve it anymore because we want to be sites specific and building specific,” Tengco added.
READ: Pagcor chief Tengco appears in Senate probe into Pogos
Pagcor will also assign “24/7 teams” that will monitor the 43 licensed Pogo firms, he also said.
“Hopefully that can deter, hopefully kung may napansin kaagad, takbo na kami sa kapulisan para malaman,” he said.
(Hopefully that can deter, hopefully if we notice anything, we can immediately report it to the police.)
“Pero mahirap ko pong sabihin sa bulwagang ito at sa harapang ito na ito na po ang huli dahil kung talagang sabi nyo nga e may criminal intent talaga yung natitira pa e baka hindi ko na po talaga kayanin yung pag monitor dun,” Tengco said.
(But it’s difficult for me to say in this hall and in front of everyone here that this will be the last [incident] because as you said if there is really a criminal intent, then I can no longer monitor it)
Before this, Tengco said Pagcor will not oppose should Congress and President Ferdinand Marcos decide to ban Pogos.
Several lawmakers have been calling for a permanent ban of Pogos following a number of criminal activities like torture and human trafficking linked to the industry.