At the Senate hearing, Senator Mark Villar disclosed that some Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers obtained forged marriage certificates, birth certificates, and passports through travel agencies, allowing foreigners to impersonate Philippine citizens for legal residence and work.
Villar pointed out that these travel agencies might be colluding internally with government agencies to assist foreign POGO workers in obtaining fake documents, thereby extending their illegal stay. He emphasized that this illegal operation not only exacerbates the problem of illegal immigration but also exposes loopholes in government agency regulation.
Since the first public Senate hearing, the government has made some progress in cracking down on POGOs. However, despite the ban being in effect, some offshore gaming operators continue to operate, and the reasons behind this deserve further investigation.
The hearing found that some foreign POGO workers, with the help of travel agencies, successfully obtained seemingly legitimate but actually forged Philippine identity documents. Villar noted that there might be covert relationships between these travel agencies and the visa issuance departments, and it is necessary to thoroughly investigate whether anyone in the related government agencies is involved.
"Some foreigners hold marriage certificates, birth certificates, and forged passports using Philippine names. This is not just an issue with individual travel agencies; we must investigate the responsibility of internal personnel, which might be why foreigners continue to use fake documents to enter the Philippines," Villar stated.
Villar further emphasized that although the POGO industry involves some local employees, its negative impact far outweighs the economic benefits, especially against the backdrop of frequent human trafficking, fraud, and abuse cases. He called for an immediate and complete shutdown of POGOs and legal accountability for relevant government personnel and local facilitators.
"More and more evidence shows that POGOs pose a greater harm to society than their economic contributions. Facing continuously exposed cases of human trafficking, fraud, and abuse, we can no longer turn a blind eye. The Philippines should not become a breeding ground for these illegal activities. The government should accelerate the implementation of the POGO ban and thoroughly investigate all those behind the illegal operations," he added.
The hearing also involved the enforcement actions of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), which found that some travel agencies became key "intermediaries" for POGO workers' illegal entry and long-term residence. The Senate stated that it would continue to closely monitor the implementation of the POGO ban, ensuring that violators are legally sanctioned and preventing similar cases from occurring again.
