BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – Several Chinese Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) have offered to operate in this metropolis.
But Mayor Jerry Treñas said he rejected the proposals due to concerns about the potential negative social and economic impacts they could bring to the community.
“Several times there were offers to set up POGOs here, but I refused. I don’t want them in my city,” Treñas said during his recent press briefing.
The mayor stressed that such industry has been associated with corruption and other crimes such as money laundering, and other illicit activities.
Treñas also said several Chinese cities have expressed their intention to ink a sisterhood pact with the city government.
However, he said the city government is carefully evaluating these proposals amid the controversy surrounding POGO operations in the country and as part of the city’s commitment to maintaining social order and protecting the welfare of its residents.
The city government has signed sisterhood agreements with at least three Chinese cities, including Qingdao in 2000, Guangzhou City in Fujian province in 2020, and Wuhan in Hubei province in 2021.
The mayor added the city government is vigilant in ensuring that any unauthorized POGO activities do not take place within its jurisdiction.
The monitoring effort includes collaboration with law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with local laws and to prevent any illicit activities associated with POGOs.
“There are Chinese-exclusive subdivisions, but most of these Chinese have been doing business in Iloilo for a long time already. These are not newcomers,” he said.
The city’s proactive stance aims to safeguard the community from the potential negative impacts of unregulated gambling operations.
The Police Regional Office in Region-6 (PRO-6) earlier downplayed concerns regarding POGO operations within the city.
Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Solis, PRO-6 spokesperson, said they are conducting regular checks and monitoring activities to ensure unregulated gambling operations will not take place in the metropolis.
Likewise, Solis said the 17 Chinese nationals who were recently apprehended in Iloilo City in connection with alleged cybersex activities are not related to POGOs.
The Chinese nationals are facing a string of criminal cases in court following their arrest during a raid on the cybersex den located in Barangay Lawa-an in Jaro district last Nov. 4, 2023.
They were charged with qualified trafficking in person, obscene publication and exhibition through information and communication, and violation of the cybercrime law.
The raid was an offshoot of the search warrant issued by Judge Victorino Oliveros Maniba, Jr., of the Regional Trial Court branch 39 to check the place where the respondents were allegedly operating the cybersex den.
Police said the suspects were all of legal age and believed to be facilitators for Filipino and foreign clients of the cybersex operation.
The accused were reportedly operating for about six months before their arrest. The police conducted the monitoring and surveillance of their operations for more than one month.
Authorities recovered 24 computer units, 49 assorted units of cellular phones, two switch hubs TP-link with 24 ports, two routers, one projector, one monitor, one modem, and one bundle and four boxes of subscriber identity module (SIM) cards./PN
