'Di na mahahabol': POGO fled Philippines without paying P2.2 billion, says Pagcor chief

RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Phil-Asian Gaming Expo features offshore games targetting bettors outside the Philippines. Games can be played on desktop or mobile devices. Photos taken at the SMX Convention Center. July 12, 2019. Jessica Fenol, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/03/05/20190712-pogo-expo-jf-132824_1.jpg"/><figcaption>Phil-Asian Gaming Expo features offshore games targetting bettors outside the Philippines. Games can be played on desktop or mobile devices. Photos taken at the SMX Convention Center. July 12, 2019. <em>Jessica Fenol, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The gaming regulator on Monday said it had no way to run after a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) that fled the country during the pandemic without paying its dues worth P2.2 billion to the government. </p><p>&quot;This was a P2.2 billion receivable from a POGO that was licensed during the last administration, and during the pandemic nawala na lang pong parang bula yung POGO,&quot; Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco said. </p><p>(The POGO suddenly disappeared.) </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/23/22/coa-uncollected-pogo-fees-reach-p23-billion-in-2021">Uncollected POGO fees reach P2.3 billion in 2021, auditors say</a></li></ul><p>&quot;They closed shop and ran away,&quot; he told lawmakers at the House of Representatives. </p><p>Tengco said that after he took over Pagcor, it immediately sought to trace the POGO officers and found that they have left. The POGO also had no local incorporators. </p><p>&quot;During the last exit conference, I had requested the COA (Commission on Audit) kung maaari po sana, stricken off na yung receivable na yun dahil wala na po talaga magagawa at hindi na po mahahabol,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;Yun lang naman po ang naging problema sa mga receivable ng mga nakaraang overseas gaming licensees noon pong nakaraang administration,&quot; he continued. </p><p>(I requested COA to strike off the receivable fromt he POGO because we can no longer do anything and we cannot run after it. That was the only problem with receivables from overseas gaming licensees in the past administration.)<br/> <br/><strong>POGOs UNDER PROBATION</strong></p><p>Tengco said Pagcor placed all POGOS in the Philippines under probationary status.</p><p>He said there were 32 main POGO licensees and 106 service providers left in the country. </p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re requiring all active licensees to reapply at up to September 15 only.&quot; Tengco said. &quot;If they do not reapply on or before September 15 we will cancel their existing license.&quot; </p><p>Pagcor has improved its regulatory efforts after it failed to collect any fines or penalties for 4 years, said Tengco. </p><p>&quot;Ngayon po, sa unang 6 buwan pa lang ng 2023, $1.5 million na ang fines and penalties na aming nakolekta dito po sa mga nasabing 30 lang na licensee,&quot; he said. </p><p>(We collected $1.5 million in fines and penalties from the 30 licensees in the first 6 months of 2023 alone.)</p><p>&quot;Under my administration, we are really trying our best to be able to make sure that all the licensees will follow all the rules and regulations,&quot; he added. </p><p>Tengco said the regulator raids illegal operators weekly and recently suspended the licenses of 6 operators.</p><p>Pagcor also cancelled the licenses of an operator in Clark for its violations, he said. </p><div><strong>DOUBLING POGO COLLECTIONS</strong></div><p>Pagcor hopes to double its collections from POGO licensees in 2023, Tengco said. </p><p>&quot;Inabutan ko po diyan ang income po ng overseas gaming licensees natin is P2.1 billion. Pagkatapos po nung 2022 especially nung andoon po ako last quarter, naiakyat natin po yan sa P3 billion. Ngayon po sa 2023, we&#x27;re projecting po mga P4.2 to 4.5 billion,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Kung matapos po ang taong 2023, nadoble ko na po yung income generated,&quot; he related. </p><p>(When I came on board, income from overseas gaming licenses was at P2.1 billion. At the end of 2022, we brought that up to P3 billion. In 2023, we&#x27;re hoping to raise that to P4.2 to P4.5 billion. By the end of 2023, we</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/06/27/22/most-of-uncollected-pogo-tax-due-to-pandemic-pagcor">PAGCOR says majority of uncollected POGO tax due to pandemic</a></li></ul><div><strong>COA AS INDEPENDENT AUDITOR </strong></div><p>Tengco also revealed that the Commission on Audit (COA) took over as an independent auditor for all POGOs, after Pagcor cancelled its P5.8-billion contract with a private contractor when it found that its bid was fraudulent due to a spurious bank certification. </p><p>Tengco said COA created a special team for this purpose, which is a stopgap measure while it was looking at how to get a new contractor. </p><p>This, after Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda pointed out that COA might not have the capability to ensure fairness of the POGO operations, as the commission only ensures the integrity of the audit.</p><p>Tengco also said Pagcor was seeking to recover previous payments to the dismissed contractor worth over P1 million.</p><div><strong>SPEEDING UP PAGCOR PROJECTS </strong></div><p>The official also assured lawmakers the implementation of Pagcor-funded projects in local government unit would be fast-tracked.</p><p>&quot;Noong dumating po ako sa PAGCOR, halos 25 percent ng mga project na kanilang pinagkaloob sa iba&#x27;t-ibang LGU ang natatapos,&quot; he lamented.</p><p>&quot;Of course, we know that the pandemic was also part of the reason, pero ang hiniling po ng COA sa akin bilang bagong chairman at CEO, i-fast track muna yung mga naaward na kontrata na yun,&quot; he added.</p><p>(When I came onboard, only 25 percent of projects have been completed. We know the pandemic is part of the reason for that, but COA asked me, as the new agency&#x27;s chairman and CEO, to fast-track the implementation of the contracts.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/07/20/23/pagcor-launching-own-online-virtual-reality-casino-in-2024">PAGCOR launching own online ‘virtual reality’ casino in 2024</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/23/22/marcos-swears-in-new-pagcor-officials">Marcos swears in new PAGCOR chairman, board members</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED REPORTS:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2745403" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2714111" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The PAGCOR chief said a POGO fled the country during the pandemic without paying its dues worth P2.2 billion to the government.

'Di na mahahabol': POGO fled Philippines without paying P2.2 billion, says Pagcor chief | ABS-CBN

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'Di na mahahabol': POGO fled Philippines without paying P2.2 billion, says Pagcor chief

'Di na mahahabol': POGO fled Philippines without paying P2.2 billion, says Pagcor chief

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 14, 2023 05:47 PM PHT

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Updated Aug 15, 2023 09:59 AM PHT

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PAGCOR

Philippine offshore gaming operators

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