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(L-R) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, and first lady Liza Araneta Marcos looks at the new logo of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) with House Speaker Martin Romualdez and PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro H. Tengko during the government owned corporation’s  40th anniversary celebration on July 11, 2023 at the Manila Marriott Hotel in Pasay City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (UPDATED) — A former high-ranking government official tried to facilitate the grant of gaming licenses to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hubs engaging in illegal activities, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has alleged in a statement.</p><p>PAGCOR did not name the former official, saying only that it was a former member of the Cabinet.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/2/2/pagcor-net-income-up-in-2023-1040">READ: PAGCOR net income up in 2023<br/></a></div><p>&quot;The PAGCOR chief said he will reveal in the proper forum the identity of the former Cabinet member who had been lobbying for the illegal POGOs, as well as the circumstances that led to the proliferation of illegal and criminal offshore gaming operations,&quot; the regulator said in a statement.</p><p>PAGCOR has been in focus after raids in POGO compounds in Pampanga and Tarlac found indications of criminal activity, including human trafficking, torture and investment scams.</p><p>It has countered that <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/4/pagcor-slams-guo-camp-for-passing-blame-on-bamban-pogo-1937">local government units had allowed these POGO hubs to operate</a>.  </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T6zq6YeqSWU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><div><strong>SENATE HEARING</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros plans to hold a hearing regarding the PAGCOR official’s purported revelation.</p><p>Hontiveros, who has been leading the Senate probe on illegal POGO operations, hopes the PAGCOR official “deems it the right forum to reveal what he knows.”</p><p>&quot;Umaasa ako na si Chair Tengco mismo ang dadating sa susunod na pagdinig at hindi na ang mga kinatawan niya lang,” she said in a statement Saturday.</p><p>“Whoever that ex-Cabinet official turns out to be, the fact remains: POGOs are being used as a legal cover for scam hubs. Napatunayan na ng imbestigasyon sa Senado na kahit pa may ligal na lisensya mula mismo sa PAGCOR, may mga criminal activities parin na nangyayari sa POGO.”</p><div><strong>PAGCOR&#x27;S &#x27;CLEANSING PROCESS&#x27; FOR POGOS</strong></div><p>PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said authorities should also probe the role of former officials in granting licenses to POGO applicants &quot;with dubious backgrounds.&quot;</p><p>“As a regulator, it is our mandate to ensure that only those with valid licenses are allowed to operate all forms of gambling and gaming activities, whether these are land-based casinos or online platforms,”  Tengco said.</p><p>Government authorities are currently doing operations against illegal POGO operators, the latest being the seizure of a leisure park in Pampanga.</p><p>“What we need to question, in the first place, was how those 298 POGO licensees were able to secure their licensees in the past because clearly, during our cleansing process, we found most of them to be ineligible and outright suspicious,” Tengco said.</p><p>“We are also ready to reveal the roles of other controversial individuals behind these criminal POGO enterprises,” Tengco added. </p>

<p>“What we need to question, in the first place, was how those 298 POGO licensees were able to secure their licensees in the past,” Tengco said.</p>

“What we need to question, in the first place, was how those 298 POGO licensees were able to secure their licensees in the past,” Tengco said.

PAGCOR says it will name 'controversial individuals' linked to illegal POGOs

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PAGCOR says it will name 'controversial individuals' linked to illegal POGOs

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 29, 2024 03:17 PM PHT

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Updated Jun 29, 2024 06:52 PM PHT

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POGO

Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators

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