UP law alumni seek ban on POGOs catering to Chinese mainland

MANILA, Philippines — Alumni of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law, led by retired Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, are urging President Marcos to order the cancellation of licenses of all Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) catering to the Chinese mainland market as it supposedly violates the charter of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR).

In an open letter dated July 15, the UP Law alumni noted that under Chinese law, any form of gambling, including online gambling and overseas gambling by Chinese citizens, is illegal.

Under PAGCOR rules, POGOs are not allowed to give access to their registered website in territories where online gaming is prohibited.

The alumni said PAGCOR requires POGOs to operate only in a foreign country where gambling is allowed.

“Clearly, no POGO can operate legally in mainland China which bans all kinds of gambling. Thus, PAGCOR cannot, and should not, issue a license to any POGO that caters to the mainland Chinese market. Any such license is void ab initio under PAGCOR’s own regulations,” the open letter read.

They also noted that Chinese POGOs, as shown by recent developments, are “mostly operated by criminal syndicates,” where they have torture chambers, illegal firearms, fake documents and engage in sex trafficking.

“There is no legal, moral, economic or social justification to allow such POGOs to operate in the Philippines. We, therefore, implore the President to direct PAGCOR to cancel immediately all licenses of POGOs that cater to the mainland Chinese market,” the UP Law alumni said.

PAGCOR is against bills seeking a total ban of online gaming sites, PAGCOR chair Alejandro Tengco said yesterday at the Senate ways and means committee hearing tackling three proposals seeking to prohibit all forms of online gaming and betting.

Tengco was the lone voice opposed to the ban among the government agency representatives, who said they are supportive of the bills cracking down on online wagers and POGOs because of their contribution to social ills – like gaming addiction in the case of online casinos and slot machines, and kidnapping and human trafficking for illegal