Another lawmaker joins call for ban on offshore gaming companies in the Philipines
Surigao del Norte 2nd District representative Robert Ace Barbers has added his voice to the call.
The Philippines.- Surigao del Norte 2nd district representative Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, has added his voice to calls for a ban on offshore gambling operators in the Philippines. He said the operators, formerly known as POGOs, pose “a serious threat to national security.”
His call echoes that of senators Imee Marcos, Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatchalian. Barbers noted that he had questioned the activities of the offshore gambling operators in 2017 and said that the situation has since worsened.
According to the Philippines News Agency, Barbers questioned the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)’s move to rename POGOs saying: “No change of name can ever erase its legacy of crimes. POGO by any other name stinks just the same.”
Barbers’ call was backed by Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District representative Rufus Rodriguez.
Meanwhile, Alejandro H. Tengco, chairman and CEO of PAGCOR, has argued that the real threat to national security comes from alien hacking and scam syndicates (AHaSS) not genuine gaming operators. Tengco said internet gaming licensees have contributed over PHP5bn to PAGCOR’s gross revenue in 2023, providing financial support to the government.
He said: “To us, the real threat are the alien hacking and scam syndicates who operate underground, and they are the ones that our law enforcement agencies are trying to locate and dismantle. And we are cooperating fully with the authorities in this regard.”
In May, Gatchalian introduced Senate Bill 2689 seeking to prohibit the operations of offshore gaming companies. The bill aims to repeal Republic Act 11590, which was enacted on September 22, 2021, by former president Rodrigo Duterte.
