July 16, 2024, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and Sherwin ·Sherwin Gatchalian calls on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to address the escalating issues with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, 2024. Meanwhile, pressure is growing for a total ban on POGO activities in the Philippines.
Pimentel hinted that the president might make a big announcement. "Who knows, he might surprise us," Pimentel was quoted as saying in a radio interview by the Inquirer. "It's possible that he will announce at SONA that he will now completely ban all POGO activities in the Philippines. If The president announces this in SONA and his popularity and approval ratings will definitely skyrocket... But of course, I'm not a political adviser to the president, but it's certainly possible."
Pimentel believes that such a statement will greatly benefit Filipinos. "Of course, everyone's attention will be on that. We'll be surprised. Maybe not just surprised, but delighted."
Gatchalian, who filed Senate Bill 2689 to effectively outlaw POGOs, echoed Pimentel's sentiments, And supports the call to ban POGOs. He highlighted the numerous illegal activities related to POGO companies, including human and sex trafficking, serious illegal detention, money laundering, torture and online fraud, which undermine national security and social order. "This is exactly what I have been advocating for," Gatchalian said, emphasizing the social and ethical costs associated with POGOs.
Additionally, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has announced plans to ban POGO centers. The move is in line with the senator's advocacy and ongoing Senate investigations that have revealed the extent of illegal activity associated with POGOs.
In a related development, both senators urged suspended mayor of Bamban City in Tarlac province Alice Guo turned herself in after the Senate issued an arrest warrant for her and her family. She has previously been absent from Senate investigations into the online gambling industry.
"She should appear before the Senate. The Senate is subpoenaing you, so you should appear. If the court does not issue an order in your favor , then you should obey the orders of the Senate,” Pimentel insisted. Guo previously appealed to the Supreme Court to stop the Senate subpoena, saying the investigation violated her constitutional rights and due process.
Ghacharian added: "She should voluntarily surrender. I believe she knows she has a warrant for her arrest. She should respect the law. "The Senate Guard's Office, with the assistance of the Philippine National Police, was unable to locate Guo at Bamban's farm or the garment factory associated with her family. However, they succeeded in arresting Nancy Gamo, an accountant for the Guo family company, who is currently in Senate custody.
The Senate has sent four teams to execute the arrest warrants against Guo, Gamo and the mayor's family members - brothers and sisters Sheila, Wesley and Seimen, and their parents, Chinese citizens Jian Zhong Guo and Wenyi Lin. The Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission raided Dennis Cunanan, the authorized representative of Hongsheng Game Technology, the predecessor of Zunyuan Technology, in Bamban.
