MONITORING POGOs. Members of the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas stand at attention during one of their formations at Camp Sergio Osmeña in Cebu City in this file photo. PRO-7 spokesperson Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare said the regional police is closely working with local government units to eradicate POGO businesses in the region as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PNA file photo)
CEBU CITY – The Philippine National Police (PNP) is working closely with local government units (LGUs) as they go after Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) in Central Visayas, a police official said on Friday.
Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare said LGUs in the region could help with their intelligence monitoring against POGO operations.
The region registered five POGOs in the last five years. However, police found out recently that these gambling establishments had already seized operations.
“When we tried to conduct a validation, they were inactive. But we are still conducting a continuous investigation to determine if they are still there or have resumed their operations,” Pelare said during an interview.
Meanwhile, Cebu City acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia ordered the Business Permit and Licensing Office headed by Terence Saavedra to review the records and documents of all registered businesses in the city.
“BPLO should conduct onsite inspections of BPO (business process outsourcing) and the like establishments suspected of engaging in POGO-like activities under the guise of legitimate businesses,” Garcia told the Philippine News Agency.
He clarified that out of the 40,000 registered businesses this year, the city has no record of POGO operations.
But Garcia added his office is closely coordinating with the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation to assist them in the eradication of POGO, and POGO-like activities here. (PNA)
