EO sufficient to enforce POGO ban - SolGen

An executive order is enough to enforce a ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), according to Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra.

- DAPHNE GALVEZ

Guevarra explained that all gaming operations, under the law, fall under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), which reports directly to the Office of the President.

“An executive order or other administrative issuance is sufficient to implement the policy,” he said when asked if a law is needed to ban POGOs or if an EO would be enough.

He added a ban on POGOs is a matter of government policy and it is within the President’s prerogative to make such move for the good of the country, after carefully weighing all possibilities.

In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Marcos ordered PAGCOR to have all POGO operations ceased by the end of the year.

He also directed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to find jobs for Filipinos who would be displaced by the closure of POGOs in the country.