DILG: Some Pogos using ‘disguises’ to thwart ban

SURVIVAL MODE Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla, who was confirmed by the Commission on Appointments on Wednesday, confirmed to senators that some Philippine offshore gaming operators were trying to circumvent the President’s order banning their operations. —PPA pool

MANILA, Philippines — Some Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) were trying to circumvent the total ban imposed by the government on their operations by “disguising” themselves as restaurants and resorts, Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla told members of the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday.

At his confirmation hearing, Remulla verified information that certain Pogo companies were defying the president’s directive to shutter their businesses by the end of the year.

Fielding questions from Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) underscored the importance of close coordination between law enforcement agencies and local government units (LGUs) in implementing the nationwide Pogo ban.

READ: House panel OKs bill banning Pogos, imposing strict penalties

Hontiveros, who earlier led the series of Senate inquiries into Pogo-related crimes, noted that people behind some of these gambling hubs had “decentralized” their operations by putting up smaller facilities.

The ban on Pogos was ordered by Marcos after authorities found out that many of these establishments which were supposed to cater to bettors abroad, particularly China, were involved in serious crimes, including killings, kidnappings, torture and human trafficking.

“The biggest disguise that they are [doing] now is that they are applying as resorts and restaurants,” Remulla told Hontiveros.

Just a front

He cited the Aug. 31 raid of the Bureau of Immigration and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on a resort in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu province, which turned out to be a front for a Pogo hub.

More than 160 foreigners were taken into custody during the operation, which also became the subject of a Senate investigation.

“I think the last case in Lapu-Lapu showed it very clearly that when PAOCC raided the premises, the restaurant, the hotel and the bar were just fronts. It was a guerrilla [Pogo] operation,” Remulla said.

The PAOCC, he noted, later announced that some individuals behind the Lapu-Lapu Pogo were also involved in the sprawling Pogo complex in Porac, Pampanga, which the government shut down early this year over alleged illegal activities such as scams, kidnapping, and human trafficking.

Concerted effort

Hontiveros then pointed out that PAOCC had disclosed that over 300 Pogo hubs were still conducting clandestine operations even after Mr. Marcos announced the ban during his third State of the Nation Address on July 22.

“But how do you handle the scam hubs that don’t bother applying for business permits?” she asked Remulla.

In response, the DILG chief said: “That’s the function of intelligence and the special units of the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation: to pursue, investigate and prosecute them.”

“There’s no one formula,” he later told reporters. “You cannot say that it’s just the PNP’s or LGUs’ concern. It should be a concerted effort involving everyone.”

Remulla warned local officials that they may face charges for their failure to ensure the implementation of the President’s order, reiterating that it was the responsibility of LGUs to inspect establishments applying for permits.

He said he would issue a memorandum circular instructing local officials to regularly inspect all private facilities in their areas.

The CA, meanwhile, approved Remulla’s designation as the 28th secretary of the DILG.

“[Remulla] has extensive experience in local government and administration, which I am sure will give him a better understanding of the issues and challenges confronting our LGUs today,” said Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who presided over the confirmation proceedings.