House of Representatives plenary. INQUIRER FILES
TRIGGER WARNING: This article mentions of torture and inhumane treatment of workers, including sexual assault. If you need help, call the National Center for Mental Health hotline at 0917-899-USAP (8727); (02) 7-989-USAP; or 1553 (landline to landline, toll-free)
MANILA, Philippines — Some House of Representatives lawmakers were split about the airing of videos showing Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo) workers being tortured while they were illegally detained at different facilities.
At the hearing of the House committee on public order safety and the committee on games and amusements on Wednesday, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong asked that the panels stop showing clips of individuals enduring harsh and inhumane treatment, as the proceedings are being livestreamed.
“Mr. Chair, for the other videos, may we request… because some of us here cannot, have a low tolerance of you know, watching all of these torture especially women… may we request Mr. Chair that we no longer show these videos,” Adiong said at the motu proprio investigation into cases in Pogos.
“Remember we are livestreaming on YouTube, and there are kids who may view these videos, can we request? A testimony of stories is enough,” he added.
During the hearing proper, videos of male and female Pogo workers being punched or hit with metal bats and sticks and even electrocuted using tasers were shown at the Nograles Hall of the Batasang Pambansa complex and at the YouTube and Facebook live stream of the House of Representatives.
Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) spokesperson Winston John Casio explained that the workers were tortured if they were caught attempting to escape the Pogo facility.
Adiong made his appeal when the House was about to tackle sexual assault that workers endured — videos of which were also available, according to public order and safety committee chair and Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez.
Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez, who was present during the hearing, however, said that there was a need to show the torture videos, despite their brutality, as recounting stories may not be enough to describe the extent of human rights violations conducted within Pogos.
“Gruesome as it may be to show these videos Mr. Chair, but it is very important for everyone to see what is happening inside the Pogo, because it’s hard to tell stories only, sometimes you may fall asleep if you just rely on storytelling,” he said.
“But if people are seeing what is happening inside this Pogo hubs, then you are, you feel the pain, you feel the torture, and you feel the illegal activities that are happening inside, and then people are having an understanding — what are government agencies doing about this?” he asked.
Fernandez agreed, saying that the government has to show the gravity of the problem that it seeks to address.
“Actually a while ago I was telling this body that we’re going to show it not only because the direction of the Speaker is to have a comprehensive investigation, and we when we members of the committee — specifically the committee on public order — I asked if we’re going to show the video (since) precisely the very essence of the motu proprio is to investigate the illegal activities,” Fernandez said.
“And I must agree with Congressman Gomez, that even if the scenes are heavy in nature, we have to tell to the Filipino people and to the international community that this country, this government is doing something on their countrymen, especially the Chinese, Burmese, Myanmar, whatever, our government is acting in response to these,” he added.
Eventually, both Gomez and Fernandez agreed that no more torture videos would be shown as they had already seen enough.
“That is why sad as it may seem, the people have to see this, but I agree that we have seen enough and then maybe we can already put a stop to this but we have to understand Mr. Chair that these Pogos are really hurting our society, it is corrupting our government, it has become a bedrock of corruption,” Gomez said.
“And rightly so, Congressman Alonto, maybe we have already shown a lot, maybe we can stop that, we have shown almost five videos. But I have seen a lot of videos, I have seen others you cannot take anymore especially the abuse on the sexual torture. There was a sexual torture, man-to-man, they were punishing those who would not follow their orders,” Fernandez added.
Earlier during the probe, a Pogo worker identified as “Dylan” — not his real name — said that a friend then invited him to Bamban, Tarlac to celebrate the Chinese New Year last February 10, 2024 at Baofu facility. However, his friend left him there, and Baofu officials eventually said that Dylan would have to work there unless he can pay off the money used to buy him.
Casio explained further that Dylan was sold to Baofu for P300,000. He said the victim was only able to seek help when he used his company phone to inform his relatives in Malaysia, which was then relayed to Philippine authorities by the Malaysian embassy.
Last March 13, 371 Filipinos and 497 foreigners were rescued from a Pogo in Bamban, Tarlac, which was raided for alleged human trafficking involvement.
READ: Over 800 Filipinos, foreign Pogo workers rescued in Tarlac raid
The Pogo was linked to now suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) accused the local chief executive of having business interests in Baofu Land Development Inc.
Baofu owns the land where the raided Pogo sits. DILG said Baofu, as represented by Guo, president of the company, purchased eight parcels of land in Bamban last February 2019.
Guo claims to have divested ownership of Baofu, but DILG believes the amount she divested it for — P2.5 million — was “grossly incongruent to her investment on Baufo, which is approximately eight hectares of land.”
READ: House bill filed to ban Pogos, revoke licenses
There have been proposals to totally ban Pogos in the country. Last June 11, Makabayan bloc lawmakers in the House of Representatives filed House Bill (HB) No. 10525 or the proposed Anti-Pogo Act of 2024 — which will revoke existing licenses and ban future Pogos due to the social cost it brings.