The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has warned that Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) are relocating their operations to islands such as Visayas and Mindanao to evade a nationwide ban.
President Ferdinand Marcos has ordered the closure of all POGO operations by the end of the year. However, official reports indicate that illegal activities persist, with some operators relocating or renaming themselves as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies to avoid detection.
During the final investigation of online gambling companies by a Senate panel on Tuesday, Senator Risa Hontiveros pointed out that some online gambling companies are now "splitting into small groups" to evade enforcement of the online gambling ban.
Senator Hontiveros inquired about the observed scale of operations, specifically asking if the POGOs in Parañaque had split into small groups or disguised themselves as BPOs. She questioned whether this phenomenon was limited to the Metro Manila area or had expanded to other regions such as Luzon and Visayas.
In response, PAOCC Director Winnie Quidato confirmed that the issue had extended beyond Luzon, noting that many POGO operators had moved to the Visayas and Mindanao regions.
Quidato emphasized that these POGO operators are actively initiating new businesses in these areas. Moreover, POGOs that previously operated with thousands of employees have now transformed into "guerrilla groups" consisting of 10 to 20 people.
Quidato also noted an increase in the number of flights from Luzon to Visayas, with many passengers being former POGO employees. Quidato explained that, after monitoring, these individuals were supposed to be taking care of and saying goodbye to their families in the Philippines, selling their apartments, dealing with their vehicles, and paying off loans.
However, official monitoring has revealed that some of them have moved to different places, with many flying to the Visayas region.
In PAOCC's statement, some POGO individuals are reshaping their image by changing their company names with the Securities and Exchange Commission, posing as BPOs.
On this matter, Securities and Exchange Commission Assistant Director Jonathan Paguirigan stated that they had coordinated with PAOCC regarding the renaming of POGOs to BPOs. Paguirigan said, "With the President's executive order, we are actually taking steps to ensure that those who are actually engaged in POGO activities are notified and comply with the executive order. They should only act as BPOs, but if they are still engaged in POGO activities, they are already violating the executive order."
Hale Oliver M. Labayo, from the Securities and Exchange Commission's Corporate Registration and Monitoring Department, also stated that POGOs that are legally operating or had no criminal records before the ban can amend their registration documents to transform their companies into BPOs.
However, if they violate the BPO status, consequences will ensue, and revocation procedures will be initiated.
