Politician Sherwin Gatchalian (pictured), a long-standing critic of the formerly-named Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), said on his own senatorial website that local government executives “should be held accountable for failing to monitor illegal activities of POGOs operating in their respective areas”.
Senator Gatchalian, who sits in the upper house of the country’s Congress, referred in the Tuesday posting to allegations relating to a recent case in Pampanga, northwest of the capital Manila.
He stated, referring to the local authority in that area: “The immediate action of the Pampanga Provincial Board to investigate how an illegal POGO facility managed to undertake illegal activities right under the nose of LGU [local government unit] officials is commendable and worthy of imitation.”
But he added: “Surely, certain LGU personnel have been neglectful of their duties for a POGO hub to commit unspeakable crimes and remain undetected but concerned LGU officials and personnel should be held accountable.”
According to Mr Gatchalian’s statement, the senator was reacting to the Pampanga Provincial Board’s ongoing investigation of a recent police raid on a POGO compound that straddles Porac and Angeles City in Pampanga.
The country’s gaming regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor) approved in July last year new regulations for POGOs, which are now referred to as “Internet Gaming Licensees” (IGLs).
The regulator had previously said that some former POGO licensees had brought the sector into disrepute due to factors including tax avoidance, illegal employment, and failure to pay proper fees.
Pagcor chairman and chief executive, Alejandro Tengco, said in a statement earlier this month that legitimate IGLs generated funds for the government, “contributing more than PHP5 billion [US$85.2 million] to Pagcor’s gross revenues in 2023”.
“To us, the real threat are the alien hacking and scam syndicates who operate underground, and they are the ones that our law enforcement agencies are trying to locate and dismantle,” Mr Tengco said. “And we are cooperating fully with the authorities in this regard.”
A brother of Senator Gatchalian, Rex Gatchalian, is currently the country’s Secretary of Social Welfare and Development.
Two other relatives of Senator Gatchalian – his brother Kenneth Gatchalian and Dee Hua Gatchalian – were listed in a September 25 filing to the Philippine Stock Exchange as officers of Waterfront Philippines Inc.
That company has land-based gaming investments via Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino; and Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino at Mactan in Cebu, according to its website.
The group also plans another property with gaming – Waterfront Manila Hotel & Casino – at Manila Bay in the Philippine capital, according to the company website.
Senator Gatchalian has gone on record – as cited by the Philippine Star news outlet – saying that while his family is involved with Waterfront Philippines, “I don’t meddle with the business”.
