By Liza Soriano
MANILA –Senator Win Gatchalian on Monday (17 June 2024) said that the local government units should be held accountable for their failure to monitor Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in their areas.
Gatchalian, meanwhile, lauded the Pampanga provincial board for being able to take action against a POGO facility in their area.
“The immediate action of the Pampanga provincial board to investigate how an illegal POGO facility managed to undertake illegal activities right under the nose of LGU officials is commendable and worthy of imitation. Surely, certain LGU personnel have been neglectful of their duties for a POGO hub to commit unspeakable crimes and remain undetected but concerned LGU officials and personnel should be held accountable,” Gatchalian said.
“Other LGUs should emulate the Pampanga provincial government’s commitment to get to the bottom of the issue,” he added.
The senator made the statement in reaction to the Pampanga Provincial Board’s ongoing investigation of a recent police raid on a POGO compound that straddles Porac and Angeles City in Pampanga.
Gatchalian urged LGUs to ‘seriously consider’ banning all POGO operations in their jurisdictions.
“Our recent experience with POGOs shows that the industry is a breeding ground for various criminalities perpetrated by organized syndicates such as human trafficking, kidnapping, torture, and various scams such as love, cryptocurrency, and other investment scams,” he noted.
(el Amigo/mnm)
