Attorney General Menardo Guevarra said an executive order would be enough to enforce the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). Guevara clarified that by law, all gambling activities fall under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), which reports directly to the Office of the President.
When asked whether a new law was needed, Guevara explained: "An executive order or other administrative action is sufficient to implement the ban." He emphasized that the ban on POGO is a matter of government policy and the president has the power to ensure it after careful consideration. National welfare.
In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), Philippine President Marcos directed PAGCOR to cease all POGO operations by the end of the year and directed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to assist Filipinos displaced by the closures.
Previously, the Philippine government had raided the centers of Philippine online gambling operators many times and found that these centers were suspected of being involved in serious illegal activities such as financial fraud, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, torture and murder.
PAGCOR estimates that approximately 40,000 Filipino employees will be affected by the ban. The Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced that foreign workers of Philippine POGO operators and POGO licensed companies will have 60 days to leave the country.
The Philippine Immigration Bureau also said it would not refund work visa fees to foreign POGO workers who must leave before their visas expire. "There are no refunds. Regardless of the visa outcome, the application fee is part of the process," said Dana Sandoval, spokesperson for the Philippine Immigration Service. Foreign workers must pay 32,460 pesos to obtain a work visa.
According to records of the Philippine Immigration Bureau, there are about 20,000 foreign POGO operators or POGO licensed workers in the Philippines, 70% of whom are Chinese. The deadline for these workers to leave the country starts today and ends on September 24. Immigration Bureau Director Norman Tancinco warned that failure to leave by the deadline could lead to deportation.
Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros called on immigration authorities to handle foreign POGO workers with caution, noting that some of them may be victims of human trafficking. She urged humane treatment, especially for those who may have been trafficked to POGOs or online gaming license holders.
Hontiveros also suggested authorities blacklist foreign POGO and IGL workers who have criminal backgrounds or outstanding arrest warrants in their countries. "Our Senate investigation revealed that some POGO or IGL workers are fugitives. Law enforcement should identify and blacklist them," she said.
