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Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos and Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the Kontra Bigay Program on October 11, 2023. The program aims to simplify the process of lodging complaints in relation to vote-buying incidents, especially in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on October 30.Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<p>Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos is set to meet on Saturday with the local chief executives of cities and municipalities in parts of Luzon to intensify efforts in going after illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). </p><p>He will meet with the mayors of Pampanga, Tarlac, Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley in Pampanga on Saturday morning, and with mayors of Metro Manila and Southern Luzon in the afternoon. </p><p>Abalos issued the statement on Friday, amid growing calls for the banning of POGOs in the country due to a spate of crimes reportedly linked to illegal operators. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission recorded over 400 illegal POGOs in the country, which lawmakers said should be shutdown immediately. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/17/torture-videos-shown-during-live-streamed-house-hearing-into-pogo-crimes-1153" id="isPasted">Torture videos shown during live-streamed House hearing into POGO crimes </a></div><p> “Ang POGO, ‘yan ay lisensyado ng PAGCOR. Mayroon d’yan hindi na lisensyado. So technically hindi na sila POGO. Ang tawag ng mga pulis, scam farm…. Bukas mi-meeting-in natin ang mga alkalade ng Pampanga, ng Tarlac at ibang representante, maski mga leagues ng region 1 and 2 para pag-usapan,” the Interior Secretary said. </p><p>“Ima-mapping out natin ‘yung legal na negosyo at illegal na negosyo… Baka pwede mayroon silang BLPOs, license permits, sanitation, engineer office, bureau of fire… Isa-isahin na natin. Umpisahan natin sa mga kaduda-duda. Anong malay mo, baka mahagip mo pa roon ‘yung drug laboratories, iba pang illegal activities,” he explained. </p><p>The DILG said local government units need to come up with a target and timetable, which the agency will monitor. </p><p>“Nag-issue ako ng memorandum circular… sinasabi ko mag-inspection sila. But this time around we need concrete actions, we need concrete timetable. Ano ang nagawa sa bawat lugar? ‘Yun ay imomonitor namin,” Abalos said. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/17/koko-urges-marcos-jr-to-declare-pogo-ban-in-3rd-sona-1347" id="isPasted">Koko urges Marcos Jr. to declare POGO ban in 3rd SONA </a></div><div> <strong>2025 PLANS</strong></div><p> Asked about his plans for the 2025 elections, after at least two senators during his birthday celebration expressed hope that they could call him a “colleague”, Abalos said he has yet to think about it.</p><p> “Ito ay isang party na lahat ay nag-eenjoy, nagbibiruan. Ganoon lang naman po ‘yun. Pero as of now, wala pa talagang plano. Whatever it is, bahala na ang Panginoon. Basta trabaho lang po tayo, ‘yun lang ang importante, at marami pang gagawin eh,” he told ABS-CBN News</p><p> “Kung darating yan, darating ‘yan. Ganoon lang ‘yun kasimple. What is important siguro is magtrabaho ka lang. ‘Yun lang ang importante rito,” he added. </p><p>Abalos celebrated his 62nd birthday on Friday night at a hotel in Mandaluyong City. </p><p>Among the attendees are President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Senate President Francis Escudero, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, several other congressmen and senators, cabinet secretaries, some local chief executives, celebrities and business leaders.</p>

<p>Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos is set to meet on Saturday with the local chief executives of cities and municipalities in parts of Luzon to intensify efforts in going after illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).</p>

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos is set to meet on Saturday with the local chief executives of cities and municipalities in parts of Luzon to intensify efforts in going after illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

DILG chief to meet local officials to go after illegal POGOs

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DILG chief to meet local officials to go after illegal POGOs

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 20, 2024 12:28 AM PHT

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DILG

Secretary Benhur Abalos

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