DILG chief fears illegal POGOS may fund 2025 elections

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos yesterday warned that illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators could fund candidates for the 2025 elections amid the discovery of POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and in Porac, Pampanga as well as the alleged direct involvement of suspended Mayor Alice Guo in the questionable activities.

- BELLA CARIASO

"There could always be that possibility of illegal means, illegal POGO, illegal jueteng or illegal e-sabong and worse, even illegal drugs, narco politics. All of these things could possibly affect an election," Abalos told a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City as he reiterated his warning against local government executives who will allow the operation of illegal POGO in their areas.

Abalos said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Philippine National Police (PNP) have intensified the campaign against POGO to prevent the election of politicians involved in illegal activities.

"All of these things, whether we like it or not, this illegal money is being used to prop up candidates," Abalos said as he noted that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) only authorized the operation of 43 POGOS in Metro Manila and Cavite.

The DILG chief also said that the Office of the Ombudsman and Sangguniang Panlalawigan have the authority to suspend officials involved in illegal POGOS like the one "being done in Pampanga by Vice Gov. (Lilia) Pineda."

Nineteen mayors in Pampanga, through its chapter of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, issued a resolution opposing the operation of POGO in their jurisdictions. They also called on the national government and regulatory agencies, including Pagcor, to enforce regulations and oversight.

The 19 local chiefs also asked for an immediate moratorium on new POGO licenses in Pampanga until comprehensive measures address the associated risks.

According to Abalos, the criminal aspect of the POGO cases is being handled by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) acting as co-complainant.