BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry Treñas announced stricter measures against unregulated Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
Treñas yesterday issued an executive order that provides guidelines on enhanced and stricter monitoring and collaboration with the City Hall departments and the police to address issues related to POGO operations.
To date, there are no known POGOs in the city.
Executive Order No. 094 declares the city’s policy on illegal POGOs and urges the police, the City Treasurer’s Office, the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office, and the City Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) to “utilize their powers under the law to investigate any suspected POGO establishments within the city.”
“This investigation shall include establishment illegally of POGOs without the required regulatory requirements, and establishments operating illegally as POGOs but registered as operating under a different line of business,” read Treñas’ executive order.
He issued the executive order following the ongoing investigation by the Iloilo City Council into the proliferation of undocumented immigrants, particularly the reported unregulated activities of Chinese-led POGOs in the city.
The council, convening as a Committee of the Whole, started Monday its investigation “in aid of legislation” on the reported illegal activities of foreign nationals in the city.
These supposed illicit activities include unregulated gambling, human trafficking, and other similar illegal activities linked to Chinese-operated POGOs.
The probe was an offshoot of the reports received by local legislators that these undocumented aliens are even involved in various illegal activities in the metropolis.
The city councilors said they received reports that in some posh subdivisions, most of the occupants are Chinese or foreigners.
The city council summoned concerned agencies, particularly the Bureau of Immigration. Under the law, visiting tourists who have visas are supposed to stay in the city for only 30 days.
However, the legislators lamented that immigration is doing nothing to check the activities of these overstaying foreigners.
In his executive order, Mayor Treñas emphasized the enhanced measures aligned with the city’s mandate to promote the general welfare of its people, improve public morals, maintain peace and order, and preserve peace and order of its populace.
“In line with this, the city will not allow within its jurisdiction any activities which expose its inhabitants to human trafficking, illegal gambling, and other activities detrimental to peace, order, and general welfare. Thus, it is the declared policy of the city to denounce any illegal POGOs, and their activities within the city,” the EO read.
It added that the POGO industry has been associated with corruption and other crimes such as money laundering, and other illicit activities that are detrimental to the welfare of the communities and associated with possible infringement of national security./PN
