Sen. Risa Hontiveros (L) and Alice Guo. | PHOTOS: Sen. Risa Hontiveros and Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros said their investigation of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) will continue, stressing that it was not only about suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
She issued the remark even as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the ban on Pogos during his third State of the Nation Address (Sona) at the Batasang Pambansa last July 22.
Hontiveros stressed on Friday that the whole offshore gaming industry in the country is under investigation.
The Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality is set to hold its 11th public hearing on the matter on Monday, July 29. Several government officials are invited to attend the hearing, while an arrest order against Guo, who repeatedly skipped the inquiry, remains pending.
READ: Arrest Alice Guo, others – Senate
“It’s not over yet. Hindi lang naman si Mayor Guo ang iniimbestigahan dito, kundi ang buong industriya ng Pogo na nagdala ng samu’t saring krimen sa bansa,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
(It’s not over yet. We are not only investigating Mayor Guo, but the whole industry of Pogos which brought different kinds of crime into the country.)
“Kahit inanunsyo na ang pag-ban ng Pogo, oversight function ng Senado ang matiyak na ang phaseout ay tunay na maipapatupad, na ang mga sangkot sa krimen ay matukoy, ang mga victim-survivors ay mabigyan ng hustisya, at na ang mga manggagawa ay mabigyan ng just transition,” she added.
(Even if the President already announced a ban on Pogos, it is part of the Senate’s oversight function to ensure that the phaseout will be implemented, that those involved would be identified, that victim-survivors will be given justice, and workers would have a just transition.)
According to Hontiveros, there are many things that should be discussed in the inquiry — regulatory checks that have failed and gave birth to Pogos and the crimes associated with it, among others.
“We also need to ensure our regulatory failures are addressed. Maraming institusyon ng gubyerno ang mukhang na-korap ng mga POGO at kailangan tugunan ito ng mga polisiyang maaaring isulong namin sa Senado,” she noted.
(We also need to ensure our regulatory failures are addressed. Many government institutions seem to have been corrupted by Pogos, and we need to address these through policies that we can push for in the Senate.)
READ: Marcos: ‘All Pogos are banned!’
Marcos received a standing ovation during his Sona speech, when he announced that Pogos are banned due to the societal costs and problems that the offshore gaming have brought into the country.
The President also instructed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation “to wind down and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of the year.”
At the House of Representatives, lawmakers including no less than Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez emphasized that the chamber’s own investigation of Pogos will continue despite Marcos’ ban.
Romualdez, along with Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers and Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez said investigations would push through because there is a need to seek accountability from those behind illegal Pogos.