POGO ban not discussed by Cabinet – NEDA chief

MANILA, Philippines — As calls to ban Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) mount due to their supposed links to illegal activities, the proposal has yet to be discussed in the Cabinet, although the government is preparing in case such a policy is enforced.

POGOs have been tied to unlawful activities including human trafficking, money laundering, tax evasion, prostitution, kidnapping, torture and bribery, prompting some groups to call for a crackdown on their operations.

“We haven’t really talked about it in the sense of … I mean at the level of the economic managers. I’m not quite aware if there are other meetings,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said at a press briefing when asked if the POGO issue has been discussed by the Cabinet.

“But I keep my (view) that our...focus (should be on) generating high quality jobs, good jobs and (not) creating gambling jobs... I think that there are a lot of other opportunities for the country, for the economy and for our workers and we can focus on those,” he added.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said his agency has conducted a profiling of the workers to be affected by a POGO ban to determine what training and options can be offered to them.

“I cannot say that we are really ready but we are preparing for it. We are anticipating the possible negative effect (of a ban) and that’s also the reason why we are profiling. Because we cannot actually just wait for the day of their closure. We have to transition,” Laguesma said.

President Marcos has not issued a policy statement on calls to ban POGOs. In a media interview in Zurich last year, Marcos said he wanted a “good reason” to ban POGOs.

“The problem are the illegal ones, not the legal ones. The legal ones pay their bills, pay their taxes and you know, those videos showing killings, they are the illegal ones,” he said at that time.

“That’s why we have deported a lot of illegal operators. We shuttered illegal POGOs and deported all of their personnel. So I don’t know what would be the point. It’s not a huge part of our economy.”

Last Monday, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said he was willing to recommend a ban on POGOs because of the issues surrounding the industry.

Balisacan, who has also expressed support for the banning of the online gambling entities, said the government is focusing on luring investments by addressing the concerns of investors, quality of the country’s infrastructure and costs of doing business.

He added that the Philippines would get much more than what it would lose from banning POGOs if it succeeds in generating jobs.

Chiz backs POGO review

Senate President Francis Escudero welcomed the pronouncement of Recto to review government policy on POGOs.

“I welcome Sec. Recto’s review of POGOs. The legalization of POGO is not by law but by executive fiat through PAGCOR,” Escudero said.

“As I have been saying, it is up to the Executive branch if they will continue to allow it or not since it was not allowed by a law to begin with,” Escudero noted.

With the pronouncement of Bamban Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo’s camp that she would not attend today’s public hearing, Senate President Escudero said he would immediately sign her warrant of arrest upon the request of the panel.

Escudero pointed out Guo cannot ignore the subpoena of the Senate, which has the power to summon individuals in aid of legislation.

“When a subpoena is issued, it is under compulsion of law, meaning it is not up to any individual to decide whether she or he will attend or not. When the Court or the Senate or Congress issues a subpoena, the witness is obligated to obey and follow it,” Escudero explained.

“I don’t agree that it’s their decision and they call it, it’s not their decision and they call it if a subpoena has been issued, and if they don’t attend, it is in Sen. Risa’s (Hontiveros) hands if there is an issue of warrant of arrest so that they can be forced to attend and I will sign that warrant,” he added.

He noted that if Guo has a medical condition, her camp has to provide a medical certificate. He added that the Senate would not accept any justification that doctors do not want to issue a certification for fear of being summoned to the Senate.

Escudero said the Senate might send a doctor to personally check Guo to determine her health condition and her ability to face the Senate investigation.

Hontiveros warned Guo of the consequences in skipping today’s scheduled hearing on her alleged links to illegal POGO activities.

“It is her obligation to respect the laws of the Philippines,” Hontiveros said. “If she doesn’t honor the subpoena, the Senate is well within its rights to issue an arrest order.”

“Our jurisprudence is clear and consistent. The Supreme Court has recognized that the invocation of the right against self-incrimination can only be done when a question is being asked,” Hontiveros said.

“She should just answer properly and stop lying,” Hontiveros said.

In her letter sent to the Senate yesterday, Guo said she would not attend today’s hearing despite the issuance of a subpoena on her, citing her alleged anxiety, which was also her reason when she snubbed the previous hearing on June 26.

She said her legal battles as well as the trial by publicity “had taken a toll on my mental and physical health, making me unfit to endure a rigorous situation such as a Senate hearing.”

She also alleged that she has been receiving death threats “that I cannot simply ignore as I am afraid that these threats may endanger my life.” — Cecille Suerte Felipe, Mark Ernest Villeza, Marc Jayson Cayabyab