Pagcor: Pogo ban covers legal gaming hubs or IGLs
In Congress, Speaker Martin Romualdez on Tuesday gave marching orders to Congress to draft legislation that would give teeth to the President’s directive.
He said pending measures in the House should be harmonized and result in the filing of a substitute bill and requested the chairs of the House committees on public order and safety and games and amusement to “make this the priority.”
Romualdez added the measure should be “ironclad” such that it would not only stop Pogo operations by the end of the year, but should also prevent future administrations from “resurrect[ing] these criminal and illegal activities.”
Total ban on gambling
The leader of the 300-strong House, however, said the directive would “not stop” ongoing House investigation on the criminal and other illegal activities linked to Pogo.”
Senate President Francis Escudero said their investigation into the Pogo industry would likewise continue.
However, he said there was no law, executive order (EO) or administrative order (AO) needed to implement Mr. Marcos’ directive.
“An order suffices. There was no EO, AO or law that legalized Pogos. A license issued by Pagcor made these Pogos legal, so banning them will just need Pagcor to revoke that license,” he said in a press briefing.
Escudero said Tengco had no choice but to automatically follow the President’s order.
He added that if the government really wanted to ban gambling in the country, it must cover all its forms.
“Whether it’s Pogo, Pigo, or casinos—let’s ban them altogether if we truly believe that they are not doing any good for our society and our fellow citizens,” he stressed. —INQ
