Filipino law enforcement officials freed forty foreign employees from an illicit online gaming operation.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) cautioned that the future of the entire Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) sector could be at risk following the rescue of forty migrant workers who were abducted and compelled to work for an illegal POGO operation.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) liberated forty foreign citizens from an unlawful POGO firm in Angeles City. Pagcor stated that the workers were seized and coerced into working for the organization.
POGOs are operators situated in the Philippines that target clientele from other nations, typically other Asian nations like China. In recent years, the industry has encountered numerous controversies involving alleged breaches of Philippine laws and regulations of other countries.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos declared that the result of the operation was attributed to successful collaboration between several government entities, including the PNP, DILG, Department of Justice, Pagcor, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), who have been collaborating to combat POGO-related human trafficking throughout the island nation.
Subsequent to the surprise attack, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) formally issued a directive for all illicit POGO operations to halt.
Aballos, discussing the operation, stated: “Our officers are pursuing other individuals implicated in this case, and the inquiry is ongoing. The apprehended individuals are officials from the Human Resource Development department, so we suspect there may be higher-ranking individuals still at liberty.”
Aballos also differentiated between lawful and unlawful POGOs.
“We are shutting down this illicit establishment. However, it is crucial to emphasize that we have no issue with legitimate POGOs. In fact, we have no concerns with their regulations or workers, but illegal operations have a detrimental impact on the entire sector,” Aballos explained.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) will be responsible for rescuing trapped employees and will examine their documents and work permits.
PAGCOR commenced regulating the POGO industry in 2016, and since then, the industry has generated substantial revenue for the government. Nevertheless, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco stated that even legitimate POGOs can be plagued by problems such as human trafficking.
“If these abduction incidents and other illegal activities persist, it is evident that we will not only revoke the licenses of POGO operators, but the entire industry may be influenced by any decision made by the national government. Therefore, let us collaborate to resolve these matters as soon as possible,” Tengco said.
The Philippine administration has granted the police a fortnight to cease all unlawful gambling ventures nationwide.
Senator Villanueva has put forward a legislative proposal to prohibit all internet gambling within the Philippines. This follows a report connecting online gambling operations to human trafficking.
The President has urged action, stating that these illicit activities are harming the nation’s standing.