Philippine senator urges crackdown on TIN ID issuance to POGOs

Senator Gatchalian has claimed that Tax Identification Number IDs are being used by POGOs involved in criminal activities.

The Philippines.- Senator Win Gatchalian has urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to tighten its control over the issuance of tax identification number (TIN) IDs. He says it was discovered that offshore gambling operators were obtaining TIN IDs to legitimise the employment status of workers involved in criminal activities.

Senator Gatchalian said that the BIR’s issuance of TIN IDs without photos allows these IDs to be easily used as a form of identity validation, allowing foreign nationals who are involved in organised crime to stay in the country and work for fronts for criminal syndicates.

“It’s time to change those antiquated IDs,” Gatchalian told a hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Women. He called for the BIR to review its ID issuance processes and incorporate updated security measures and identification features.

In addition to TIN IDs, police have recovered Philhealth IDs, Certificates of Alien Registration, Alien Employment Permits, and police clearances from Smart Web Technology, which is provisionally licensed by PAGCOR. It was discovered that Smart Web’s POGO hub in Pasay City housed a prostitution business and a torture chamber. Smart Web is suspected of involvement in human trafficking and various other scams.

Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, has been pushing for the POGO industry to be shut down. “The Philippines is now the favourite playground of organized criminal syndicates and the POGOs have become the avenue for these syndicates to continue operating here,” Gatchalian said.

A week ago, Manila 6th District representative Bienvenido Abante also urged the government to implement a complete ban on POGOs. During a plenary session, Abante said the move was needed to safeguard the country’s well-being and ethical principles.