Barbers’ crusade vs POGOs stands
SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has lauded the stance taken by a Filipino-Chinese anti-crime group who expressed full support to ban operations Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country due to its huge tax revenue shortfall and rising POGO-related crimes.
Barbers’ long-held crusade against POGOs started way back in November 2019 or 18th Congress when he assailed the online gambling firms for undermining the government’s war against illegal drugs, graft and corruption, prostitution, human trafficking, money laundering and gambling-related crimes.
He said the much-ballyhooed claim by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) that POGO operations would provide at least P37 billion annually in much-needed tax revenues is a complete or total failure from start to present.
Based on reports, the taxes collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) from POGOs and their service providers went down by 46% from P7.1 billion in 2020 to P3.19 billion as of present.
The lawmaker from Mindanao said the loosely-regulated influx of large number of Chinese tourists-turned POGO workers in the country is now creating a nightmare for immigration and law enforcement authorities since many of them are overstaying, with expired visas and work permits.
“Sa ngayon, di natin alam o tiyak kung ilan talaga ang bilang ng mga dumating na POGO workers, na sa una ay tourist lang at later on binigyan ng DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment) ng working permits. Mahigit tatlong taon na silang nag-ooperate sa ating bansa pero ‘di natin alam kung ilan ang mga bumalik na sa China, ilan ang naiwan, ilan ang overstaying, ang may expired visa at working permit. Wala pa tayong datos nito mula sa Bureau of Immigration,” Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs, said. Data provided by PAGCOR showed there were 32 POGOs and 127 service providers allowed to operate in the country, but some of these online-gambling firms are granting illegal sub-licenses, through which Chinese and other nationals from Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, etc. were subjected to human trafficking.
On the issue of legalizing POGO operations in the country, Barbers said his crusade and position still stands because “it is just like legalizing an entity which is banned and declared illegal from its source (China).”
“Kung papayagan natin na maging legal ang POGO sa ating bansa na deklaradong illegal sa pinanggalingan nito (China), ano na ang magiging tawag sa ating mga Pilipino? Payag ba tayo na mag-import ng tao at kumpanya na gumagawa ng illegal na bagay, at gawing legal ang illegal dito para lang kumita ng pera?” He said.
He added: “Even Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian has stated that “gambling, whether online or overseas, committed by Chinese citizens is illegal.””
As early as November 2019, the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group’s data indicated 31 KFR cases involving Chinese nationals from 2017 to 2019, and most of the cases transpired in the vicinity of the so-called “Entertainment City” where casinos and on-line gaming are located.
Aside from abduction cases, crimes such as murder, prostitution, torture, extortion, usurious loan-shark, suicide, and illegal drug trafficking involving Chinese nationals transpired in said period.
Very recently, it has been reported that there was an alarming rise in cases of kidnapping, murder, torture and extortion between and among “captive” Chinese POGO workers and their employer-handlers.
Based on reports, it was alleged that “maverick” online “keyboard warriors” are either seeking higher pay and wanted to leave their current employer or are being pirated by their fellow POGO operator-competitors. Those who wanted to leave or escape are being punished extremely.
The kidnappings and other forms of criminality are allegedly being perpetrated by private protective agents employed by private security firms or by rogue but active law enforcement agents that are said to be under the employ of some POGO firms in the country.
