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Gov't 'fixers' may be behind foreign POGO workers' PH IDs: official

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Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Photo from Sen. Risa Hontiveros" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/11/10/20231110-raided-gaming-operator-smart-web-technology-via-hontiveros-office.jpg"/><figcaption>Senators Risa Hontiveros and Win Gatchalian on Friday inspected the building of raided gaming operator Smart Web Technology in Pasay City. Photo from Sen. Risa Hontiveros&#x27; office</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Senators Risa Hontiveros and Win Gatchalian on Friday inspected the building of raided gaming operator Smart Web Technology in Pasay City.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/05/23/most-pogo-related-crime-victims-speak-chinese-pnp-chief">Majority of POGO-related crime victims speak Chinese, says PNP chief</a></li></ul>Both senators were in disbelief as to how a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) this big was able to operate allegedly as a prostitution den despite its proximity to the local police, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Pasay City Hall, and even the Senate.<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=2870209" 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>Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, said she was “shocked” by what she saw inside the building’s “torture room.&quot;&quot;Gaya nyo, nashock din ako sa nakita ko na torture chamber kung saan ginagapos ang mga empleyado ng Smart Web. Walang ilaw, walang pagkain, pasa-pasa at bugbog-bugbog ang sinapit ng mga biktima ng mapangahas at abusadong employer na ito. The walls are literally blood-stained,&quot; Hontiveros said. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/22/23/ejercito-threatens-to-withdraw-support-for-pogo-expulsion-move">Ejercito threatens to withdraw support for POGO expulsion move</a></li></ul>“Seems like we are now the human trafficking and human slavery hub in the world... Ang kinakatakutan ko, lalala at lalala ito,&quot; Gatchalian said.But what’s more concerning was the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission’s (PAOCC) discovery that a certain group provides authentic Philippine government IDs to foreign POGO workers.“From our initial verification made with the commissioner of the BIR... Nnagulat po sila nang malaman nila na nakapasok po sa sistema nila itong mga IDs na ito. So authentic po,” PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert Cruz said.Cruz said there could be &quot;fixers&quot; inside the agencies facilitating the issuance of the ID for POGO workers.“Ang nakakagulat lang dito, even the PhilHealth dikit-dikit ang IDs. So ibig sabihin, talagang fixer ang kausap nila dito,” Cruz said.Hontiveros said there could be a deeper issue behind a foreigner’s intention to get a Philippine ID.“Ang tanong ko, bakit kailangan na maging Filipino citizen sila? I’m not raising this point to rouse fear but really to underscore the main point that POGOs may be used as a conduits to allow even an enemies or forces and their spies to our country,” the senator said.The Inter-Agency Against Trafficking (IACAT) is now identifying government employees who may be behind the issuance of IDs to foreign POGO workers.Meantime, Gatchalian had a heated exchange with PAGCOR over its seemingly weak monitoring system of POGOs.“Ano’ng klaseng inspeksyon naman ang ginagawa niyo... You tell us nag-i-inspect kayo. But all of these things are happening. That’s my point. What kind of inspection are you doing? Because, in my opinion, this is a failure of regulation. If we are just doing our jobs properly, regulating, hindi mangyayari lahat po ito eh,” the senator said.Before concluding Friday’s hearing, Gatchalian moved to subpoena individuals, who, according to documents, are the owners of the building.

The Inter-Agency Against Trafficking is now identifying government employees who may be behind the issuance of Philippine IDs to foreign POGO workers.

Gov't 'fixers' may be behind foreign POGO workers' PH IDs: official

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Gov't 'fixers' may be behind foreign POGO workers' PH IDs: official

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 11, 2023 01:31 AM PHT

Read More:

Senate

senator

senators

POGO

Risa Hontiveros

Sherwin Gatchalian

Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator

crime

ANC

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