Pangilinan and China agree: Govt should revoke licenses of POGOs
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2019 05:55:17 +0000
HERE’S something Sen. Francis Pangilinan and China are in agreement with: The Philippine government should revoke the licenses of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
“Tama naman ang China rito. Kanselahin na ang lisensya ng mga POGO on concerns of criminality and corruption. Iligal ito sa China. Ibig sabihin, mga Chinese criminal ang nagpapatakbo ng mga POGO dito sa Pilipinas. (China is correct here. Cancel the POGO licenses on concerns of criminality and corruption. Gambling is illegal in China. This means that Chinese criminals run the POGOs here in the Philippines),” Pangilinan said.
In a statement, Pangilinan said that it was the Philippine government that was “condoning the operations of criminal syndicates.”
“Nakakaduda tuloy kung totoo nga ba anti-crime and anti-corruption campaign ng administrasyong ito dahil pinapayagan ang mga Chinese criminal na malayang magsagawa ng mga iligal na negosyo dito sa atin (It has become doubtful on whether the anti-crime and anti-corruption campaign of this administration is sincere as Chinese criminal syndicates are allowed to conduct illegal businesses freely in our midst),” he said.
He also said that the last few months saw an increase in crime reports involving POGO players who have refused to be subjected to our laws.
“Meron pa ngang mga ulat ng pansamantalang pagpapakulong sa ating mga pulis at hindi pinapayagang imbestigahan ang mga pinangyarihan ng krimen. Ito ay ng pambabastos na hindi natin dapat pinapalampas (There are even reports by our local police of suspects being detained and yet refuse to be investigated. This is the height of disrespect, which we should not take sitting down),” the senator said.
Pangilinan also said that the pervasive presence of Chinese POGO workers in our neighborhoods has also fueled racial antagonism among local residents, who rightfully detest some of the foreigners’ dirty habit of smoking, among others.
“Meron ding mga isyu ng pananamantala sa mga manggagawang Tsino, ng mga iresponsableng operator at ng di-pagbayad ng buwis sa industriyang ito. Di dapat binabalewala ang mga ito (There are also issues of exploited Chinese workers, fly-by-night operators, and non-payment of taxes in this industry. All these should not be ignored),” he added. JAVIER JOE ISMAEL