Senator Win Gatchalian said he is confident that President Marcos will eventually heed mounting calls to expel from the country all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) which have become a source of various criminalities including human trafficking, torture, and online scams.

The senator said he hopes to hear the President make such a declaration during his State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 22.

“Naging mas malinaw sa atin na mas maraming masasamang dulot ang pananatili ng mga POGO sa bansa kasabay ng mga pinakahuling pangyayari. Alam kong hindi ito lingid sa Pangulo at may kumpiyansa akong nakikinig siya sa gusto ng nakararami na patalsikin na ang mga POGO sa bansa,” Gatchalian said.  

He said that given the position taken by the country’s economic managers as well as law enforcement agencies, who are all in favor of the call to implement a total ban on POGOs, it is likely that the President would eventually consider the adoption of such a policy.

The chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Gatchalian has filed a bill calling to ban POGOs from the country amid the proliferation of criminalities associated with POGOs including human trafficking, torture, kidnapping, prostitution, and various scamming activities.

At a recent public hearing on the bill, the Department of Finance (DOF), the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), among others, have expressed support for the proposed measure to completely ban POGOs in the country.