After the government shut down the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) business located in Island Cove, Krabi Province, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin stated that the Malacañang Palace is "doing everything possible" to accelerate the process of confiscating assets from illegal gambling operations in the Philippines.
Bersamin told reporters in an impromptu interview at the Malacañang Palace that although there are laws regarding the government's acquisition of assets related to illegal operations, the "confiscation process is very slow." He said, "This is usually done at the end of the litigation process."
"We have made every effort to speed up this process, but we must give due process to the owners of these assets," he said. "Everyone should abide by the law, but we have established current laws and regulations regarding confiscation," he added.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. does not need to issue an order to confiscate illegal POGO assets in the Philippines because "if these assets are involved in crime, they will be confiscated," the Executive Secretary stated.
"These buildings will become government property. The government will handle them," he said.
In July, a congressional investigation revealed that the Philippines' vast offshore gaming industry is linked to criminal activities including torture and money laundering, prompting Marcos Jr. to order the government to shut down all POGO operations in the country.
Several senators are pushing for the passage of an anti-POGO bill, which would include a provision that all POGO assets can be "confiscated and owned by the government."
