Jinggoy: Deport illegal POGO workers
SAYING that there is no gain from illegal POGOs, Senator Jose Jinggoy Estrada lauded the Bureau of Immigration for doing its job, saying this must be tackled seriously.
Estrada said the move of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is aligned with his earlier pronouncement urging for a crackdown on illegal or unlicensed offshore gaming operations in the country.
The senator said there are no economic gains whatsoever in the continued stay of unlicensed POGOs and their workers insofar as the government is concerned.
“It would be unfair, to say the least, to the 34 PAGCOR-approved POGOs and their respective employees who are being subjected to 5% gross gaming revenue and 25% withholding tax on gross income respectively, to allow them to remain sans any tax obligations,” he said.
The cancellation of the license to operate POGOs would necessitate the cancellation of visas of aliens since there’s no reason for them to stay in the country, Estrada explained.
Estrada said the illegal POGO workers in the country should be deported right away.
“Ang ating hamon ngayon sa BI ay siguruhin na maipapatupad nila ang deportation ng mga illegal aliens na ito sa loob ng itinakdang 59 na araw at hindi hayaan ang anumang ilegal na transaksyon para manatili o magtagal ang kanilang pamamalagi sa ating bansa.” Estrada maintained.
