In a recent Senate committee report, it was revealed that criminal syndicates associated with Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) are still active, adapting their operations to new sectors despite the ban. On January 15, 2025, a raid in Silang, Cavite, led to the arrest of 29 foreign nationals, highlighting the ongoing issue. Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, presented Committee Report No. 514, which detailed the persistence of human trafficking, financial crimes, and national security threats linked to POGOs.
Hontiveros emphasized in a privilege speech that while the ban on POGOs was a step in the right direction, the battle against these criminal networks is far from over. The report indicated that former POGO operations have shifted to casinos, special economic zones, and underground financial networks. It also highlighted the role of dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping, in expediting the licensing of POGO-related businesses, raising concerns about potential complicity by some officials.
The investigation pointed to multiple public officials, including Bureau of Immigration personnel, who allegedly facilitated POGO-linked crimes such as human trafficking and money laundering. Local government officials were found to have notarized fraudulent documents for POGO-linked companies, and law enforcement and military personnel were reportedly on POGO payrolls, providing protection for illegal activities.
Senator Joel Villanueva, a proponent of the POGO ban, stressed the need for enhanced oversight of government agencies, noting the severe impact of POGO operations on governance, security, and national integrity. The committee’s findings also revealed that scam hubs and illegal financial activities have moved to other legal businesses, with casinos and integrated resorts becoming new bases for former POGO actors through junket agreements.
Hontiveros reported that special economic zones are being used as fronts for scam operations and cryptocurrency transactions, which are now a significant tool for laundering money from online fraud and trafficking. She mentioned receiving reports of former POGO employees being relocated to a casino in Parañaque, living in dormitories similar to those used by POGOs.
To combat the resurgence of POGO-linked crimes under different guises, the committee recommended criminal prosecution of involved officials, permanent legislation banning all forms of offshore gaming, including those under PAGCOR-licensed junket agreements. Hontiveros concluded that the criminal elements behind POGO remain a threat, and it is crucial to prevent them from finding new havens in casinos, special economic zones, or any other legal businesses.