During a television interview, Winston Casio, spokesperson for the President's Anti-Organized Crime Commission, urged local officials to assist the national government in continuously combating various forms of online gambling companies, acknowledging that over 300 illegal sites continue to operate secretly.
On July 31, the House of Representatives handed over a dossier to local officials, which included a list of 402 illegal online gambling companies, their exact locations, and the individuals involved in their operations.
As the investigation hearings on online gambling companies conducted by the House Committee on Public Order and Safety and the Committee on Games and Amusements continue, these documents have been submitted to the League of Cities of the Philippines and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, stating that it is the responsibility of local government chiefs nationwide to promptly shut down online gambling companies within their jurisdictions.
Dan Fernandez, Chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Safety, stated that the committee expects to hear responses from local government chiefs regarding the closure of the 402 illegal online gambling companies within a month.
Casio pointed out: "Local officials should enhance monitoring and cannot ignore the illegal operations of these online gambling companies in their areas, as claiming ignorance is not a valid defense."
He added: "The President's Anti-Organized Crime Commission is seeking the assistance of local government executives—governors, mayors, barangay captains, council members, etc., as they are considered the eyes and ears of the government—they should already be aware of the issues before reporting them to the central government."
However, he clarified that the determination of local officials' negligence would be handled by the Ministry of the Interior.
He said: "We hope that local governments will cooperate so that the issue does not drag on, and we can comply with the President's directive to eliminate all online gambling companies in the country by December 31."
