On February 20th, the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) raided an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) center--ATI Building in Barangay City, arresting 453 individuals involved, including 307 Filipinos, 137 Chinese, and 3 Vietnamese. Moreover, the police found 27 children and several pregnant Filipino women at the scene, indicating that this was not just a case of online fraud, but also involved human trafficking!
According to the head of PAOCC, charges have been filed against 18 Chinese nationals and 2 Filipino nationals involved in the case!
In the latest news reports, two Chinese citizens are suspected of being connected to a gambling organization previously shut down by the government!
Just a few days after the raid, another shocking kidnapping occurred in the Philippines! A 14-year-old Chinese-Filipino student was kidnapped and brutally mutilated, and was only rescued after the kidnappers abandoned the hostage due to a failure to agree on the ransom amount.
According to the police, the incident is likely related to debts within the POGO industry, with rumors that the victim's family was involved in offshore gambling. However, the family has denied these allegations.
Importantly, police investigations revealed that one of the main suspects had previously fired several shots at compatriots in a private room of a restaurant in Makati City last year, involving serious violent crimes. Many netizens exclaimed: "Baolong is back in the underworld!"
This person, already involved in an unresolved case, has committed another crime, showing great audacity!
What's more terrifying is that the police believe the kidnapping gang might consist of former POGO workers and their bodyguards, some of whom were once part of the Philippine National Police or Armed Forces but later deserted their posts to join the criminal group!
That is to say, those who were once law enforcers have now turned their guns around to join the extortion and kidnapping organization, aligning themselves with desperate fugitives!
At this moment, it's unclear whether to criticize the quality of the Philippine police or the corruption of Philippine society!
From these two incidents and other recent cases in different regions, it is evident that many arrested criminals were once involved in the POGO industry. Due to the Philippine government's earlier ban on the POGO industry, they became unemployed and turned to various criminal activities, exacerbating the social problems caused by POGO, which are no longer just about the so-called 'POGO orphans'.
As the crackdown on POGO continues, making survival increasingly difficult for POGO, one cannot help but mention PIGO!
PIGO: Legal and similar to POGO!
While the government is cracking down on POGO, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is regulating "Philippine Inland Gaming Operators" (PIGO).
PIGO (Philippine Inland Gaming Operators) refers to licensed gaming entities within the Philippines that provide online gambling services to local Filipino users.
Unlike POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators), which primarily targets foreign users, especially those from countries where gambling is prohibited (such as China), PIGO targets residents within the Philippines.
Although PIGO brings tax revenue to the Philippines, because it targets the domestic market, some believe it may lead to social issues, particularly those related to gambling addiction, fraud, and other crimes. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri has strongly questioned this policy, wondering why PIGO is allowed to exist when POGO has been identified as a harmful industry.
He pointed out that although PIGO targets the Filipino populace and not foreign gamblers, this does not mean it will not bring similar social problems as POGO.
In fact, many businesses previously involved in POGO may now have transitioned to continue operating as PIGO.
As a legalized form of gambling, PIGO, while ostensibly complying with the government's regulatory framework, may still foster similar criminal activities. For instance, with the proliferation of online gambling, issues such as fraud, human trafficking, and money laundering may still prevail.
Even if PIGO promises legal operations, former POGO workers might still engage in illegal activities within the industry.
Therefore, PIGO could potentially become a loophole for illegal POGO!
1. Regulatory loopholes: Although PIGO is a legal licensed entity, its operational model has many similarities with POGO. If not strictly regulated, PIGO could serve as a cover for some illegal POGO operators, especially those who might change their operational model to continue as PIGO, circumventing the ban to engage in illegal activities.
2. Market demand: PIGO mainly targets residents within the Philippines, which could exacerbate domestic gambling issues, especially gambling addiction and fraud. If PIGO is poorly regulated, similar social problems as POGO might occur, affecting Filipino citizens rather than foreigners.
3. Illegal transformation: Some analysts believe that PIGO could become a breeding ground for illegal POGO. Because some aspects of PIGO's operational model and business structure are similar to POGO, if PIGO businesses cleverly change their operational model to continue providing illegal gambling services to overseas markets, they could use cross-border payments and other means to evade regulation and law.
4. Enforcement difficulties: Due to the blurred lines between PIGO and POGO, some illegal POGO might continue operating under the guise of PIGO, even using technical means to conceal their illegal activities, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace the actual illegal activities.
In conclusion, although PIGO is legally established, if not strictly regulated, it could potentially become a "loophole" for the illegal POGO industry in the Philippines!
