Hontiveros urges NSC to declare POGOs national security threat

Senator Risa Hontiveros urged the National Security Council (NSC) during a Senate session on Wednesday to recommend declaring Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) as a national security threat.

Hontiveros cited stronger evidence from the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), linking POGOs to illegal revenue flows and potential security threats, urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to consider banning the industry if it is deemed a risk.

The senator recommended that the NSC elevate the issue as a national security threat to President Marcos Jr., emphasizing he could take action even before the Senate panel's report finalizes.

Joint law enforcement agencies recently raided Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Incorporated in Porac, Pampanga, rescuing workers and arresting numerous foreign nationals for violations of the Anti-Trafficking Act (RA 9208).

The raid prompted by reports of sexual trafficking and torture led to the closure of the facility by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and PAGCOR in September 2022.

Bamban Mayor Alice L. Guo was ordered to undergo a six-month preventive suspension for failing to shut down POGOs, raising questions about her involvement in their operations.