SENATOR Risa Hontiveros has cited several loopholes in the recently issued Executive Order (EO) No. 74 of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for the total ban of all offshore and internet gaming in the country.
In a statement, Hontiveros said that under EO 74, online games of chance conducted in casinos, licensed casinos, or integrated resorts with junket agreements operated by the Philippine Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) are not covered by the ban.
“Ibig sabihin ba nito puwede magpatakbo ng Pogo (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) sa mga casino gaya ng City of Dreams? Gaya ng Fontana? O kahit sa mga resorts na may mga casino sa loob?” Hontiveros said.
(Does this mean that it is possible to operate a Pogo in casinos like City of Dreams? Like Fontana? Or even in resorts with casinos inside?)
“Pangalawa, hindi pa din malinaw sa akin kung sakop ng ban ang Ceza (Cagayan Economic Zone Authority) at iba pang economic zones. Ang sabi kasi sa definition ng “Other Offshore Gaming Licenses” ay ‘yung mga ‘authorized under their respective Charters and subject to the supervision and/or jurisdiction of Pagcor,’” she added.
(Secondly, it’s still not clear to me if the ban covers Ceza and other economic zones. What was mentioned in the definition of “Other Offshore Gaming Licenses” is that they are “authorized under their respective charters and subject to the supervision and/or jurisdiction of Pagcor.)
The lawmaker noted that CEZA and the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport are both outside the supervision and jurisdiction of Pagcor.
Hontiveros raised the need for a law against Pogo.
“What this only underscores is that we need a clear law to move forward with a meaningful, clear, unequivocal, and comprehensive ban,” Hontiveros said.
In July, days after Marcos’ State of the Nation Address when he announced the total ban on Pogo in the country, Senator Joel Villanueva filed Senate Bill 2752, or the proposed Anti-Pogo Act of 2024.
In EO 74, Marcos cited the study conducted by the Department of Finance (DOF), which shows that Pogo activities significantly outweigh the economic and social benefits derived from the industry because of the risks and negative consequences such as increased crime rates, social instability, and exploitation of vulnerable people associated with them.
Marcos’s pronouncement during his Sona came amid the ongoing Senate investigation into the raid of an illegal Pogo hub in Bamban, Tarlac, as well as the raid of another one in Porac, Pampanga, which exposed various crimes and violations, such as human trafficking, scams, hacking, and even murder. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)
