MANILA, Philippines — At least three or four more local chief executives from the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon may be involved in the operations of illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) in the country, according to “raw” information received by Sen. Joel Villanueva’s office.
Speaking at a Kapihan sa Senado forum on Wednesday, Villanueva emphasized that the complaints he received are still unverified.
“May mga raw information. May mga nagsusumbong po through Facebook; for instance, I encountered at least three or four na local executive na hindi po naririnig natin na gusto nilang paimbestigahan so we just forwarded their complaints,” Villanueva told reporters.
(There is raw information. There are those who reached out through Facebook; for instance, I encountered at least three or four local executives whom we haven’t heard from that they want us to investigate, so we just forwarded their complaints.)
“Raw pa ho eh. Hindi siya verified,” he emphasized.
(It’s raw. Unverified.)
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But while the complaints have yet to be verified, the senator said he is certain that there are local chief executives who are dipping their toes into illegal Pogo operations.
“I mean, with the amount of money that’s flowing from these operations, lobbyists coming from chief executive[s] from local government units, I’m almost sure na meron po (that some are involved),” he said.
As for the location of the local chief executives, Villanueva named three regions: Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and Central Luzon.
“[Sa] 4A, NCR and Central Luzon ‘yung mga nakuha ko po. Again, I don’t want to dwell on these information kasi nga po hindi verified but I will not be surprised and I am actually saying this — yung gut feel ko, meron na talaga, marami nang infuence ang Pogo. Malawak na malawak na,” he said.
(I received reports from 4A, NCR, and Central Luzon. Again, I don’t want to dwell on this information since it’s not verified but I won’t be surprised and I am actually saying this — my gut feeling is that some are already involved. Pogo has many influences. It’s so vast now.)
According to the senator, some of these complaints have already been forwarded to the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police.
READ: Marcos: ‘All Pogos are banned!’
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the immediate ban of Pogos in the country in his third State of the Nation address this July. He subsequently ordered the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to wind down the operations of these firms until the end of 2024.