POGO ban gains support in Senate

MANILA, Philippines — Ten of the 18 members of the Senate ways and means committee have signed the committee report recommending the ban of Philippine offshore gaming operators or POGOs, a development that Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said could help maintain peace and order and sustain economic growth in the country.

Aside from Gatchalian, who chairs the panel, Senate President Pro-Tempore Loren Legarda, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and Senators Ronald dela Rosa, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Grace Poe, Raffy Tulfo, Pia Cayetano and Risa Hontiveros also signed Committee Report No. 136.

Some senators indicated their intention to interpellate in the plenary.

Gatchalian said the committee report, which seeks to ban POGOs, would be reported out to the plenary for deliberation.

He added that senators would just deliberate the phase-out period, whether immediately or within three months, although he said he is personally calling for an immediate ban.

With the filing of the committee report, the senator said the country would realize sooner than later the removal of POGOs.

“This is an important step to curb the spread of crimes originating from certain POGO companies,” Gatchalian said in Filipino yesterday.

“It’s clear from the data that we have gathered in recent months that criminals are utilizing POGOs to engage in various crimes, including human trafficking, as well as various investments such as cryptocurrency and love scams,” he added.

In signing the committee report, Pimentel, Ejercito and Hontiveros said they would interpellate and introduce amendments. Cayetano said she would interpellate and Tulfo said he would seek amendment to include Philippine inland gaming operations