Philippine senator pushes for permanent POGO ban

Senator Gatchalian said that writing the ban into law would provide a lasting solution.

Philippines.- Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing for the passage of a bill that would permanently prohibit the operations of offshore gambling operators in the Philippines (POGOs). The bill mentions theSenate investigation findings that implicate POGOs in money laundering and human trafficking cases.

While an executive order already prohibits POGOs, Gatchalian says that writing the ban into law would provide a lasting solution, whereas an executive order could more easily be reversed. Although there are only two weeks remaining before the 19th Congress adjourns, Gatchalian said he is optimistic that his bill will be approved given its strong backing in the Senate.

POGOs have been banned since the start of this year after the Philippine president Bongbong Marcos signed off on the executive order. The visas of former POGO workers have expired and many have been deported, mainly to China.

One of the Senate’s most outspoken critics of POGOs, Gatchalian has consistently argued that the industry has links to criminal activities and corruption.