Push Admin

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte shakes hands with Former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile after they take a pose for a photo near the President's portrait following a meeting at the Study Room in Malacañan Palace on March 1, 2017. Toto Lozano, Malacanang Photo/File

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte shakes hands with Former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile after they take a pose for a photo near the President's portrait following a meeting at the Study Room in Malacañan Palace on March 1, 2017. Toto Lozano, Malacanang Photo

Article (news)

Duterte-Enrile

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/172242798822620170301-duterte-enrile-MNIB-2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Rodrigo Roa Duterte shakes hands with Former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile after they take a pose for a photo near the President&#x27;s portrait following a meeting at the Study Room in Malacañan Palace on March 1, 2017. Toto Lozano, Malacanang Photo/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Rodrigo Roa Duterte shakes hands with Former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile after they take a pose for a photo near the President&#x27;s portrait following a meeting at the Study Room in Malacañan Palace on March 1, 2017. <em>Toto Lozano, Malacanang Photo/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s order on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators was “ill-advised,” according to Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. </p><p>Duterte’s Executive Order 13 states that nothing “shall prohibit the duly licensed online gambling operator from allowing the participation of persons physically located outside Philippine territory”. </p><p>“It was ill advised. They did not study it well. My God! POGO was banned by Cambodia, banned by many countries in Central Asia, and we adopted it here,” Enrile told reporters in an interview on Wednesday. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/29/harry-roque-skips-then-shows-up-for-senate-probe-into-illegal-pogos-1045">Harry Roque skips then shows up for Senate probe into illegal POGOs</a></div><p>“Why is it that until now, you have POGOs in Bamban and Porac without being able to control them? Is that a wise decision?” he added. </p><p>Enrile refused to disclose whether President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. consulted him regarding the order to ban POGOs in the country. But the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel said he backs Marcos Jr.’s decision. </p><p>“If I were the president… I will kick out POGOs in this country. POGO is a money laundering operation,” Enrile said. </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/Wj74mhD75Vc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>He and his daughter, Cagayan Economic Zone Authority Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Katrina Ponce Enrile, attended on Wednesday the continuation of the joint house panel hearing into the crimes being linked to illegal POGOs. </div><p>The CEZA administrator asserted that there are no POGOs in Cagayan’s economic zone. </p><p>“Wala pong POGOs sa CEZA. There never was and there never will be. Unlike PAGCOR’s POGO, CEZA doesn’t have any hubs... There has not been a single instance of crimes associated with POGOs under CEZA’s watch,” she said. </p><p>Also present in Wednesday’s House hearing was former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who admitted accompanying to PAGCOR Cassandra Li Ong, the representative of a company that provides services to POGOs like Lucky South 99. He clarified, however, that it was not to request for renewal of license, but to re-schedule the payments for arears worth 500,000 dollars. </p><p>Roque also admitted having interest in the corporation that owns the house in Benguet, where two POGO-linked foreigners were arrested. But he denied knowing the two individuals arrested. </p><p>“With this development, we will include Former Spokesperson Harry Roque in our investigation, but we need documents coming from all the agencies involved to prove the ownership of the property,” PAOCC’s Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz told the panel. </p><p>“It seems your name always crops up. Una kay Cassandra Li Ong, and then itong raid na bahay mo... Hindi natin maaalis sa madlang publiko at sa committee that you might be involved in these illegal activities,” Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative Johnny Pimentel told Roque. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/7/30/pagcor-wants-to-spare-bpos-servicing-gambling-firms-from-pogo-purge-1141">&#x27;Sayang&#x27;: Pagcor wants to spare BPOs servicing gambling firms from POGO purge</a></div><p>“Hindi tama ‘yun. I don’t think there’s any basis for saying that. Dahil sabihin na natin na ako ay nag-aabugado, ang pag-aabugado is not a basis for criminal liability unless you perform illegal acts,” Roque replied. </p><p>The joint House panel turned over a list of illegal POGOs and their details to the League of Cities of the Philippines and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines to ensure they will be shutdown. The groups committed to process the documents and take action. </p><p>The joint committee also issued a subpoena for Ong.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><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/rP08KFBxF8E?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s order on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators was “ill-advised,” according to Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. </p>

Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s order on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators was “ill-advised,” according to Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Enrile says former Pres. Duterte’s order on POGOs 'ill-advised'

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

Enrile says former Pres. Duterte’s order on POGOs 'ill-advised'

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 31, 2024 08:14 PM PHT

Read More:

ABSNews

House of Representatives

POGO

Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators

Rodrigo Duterte

Juan Ponce Enrile

Katrina Ponce Enrile

Harry Roque

Cagayan Economic Zone Authority Administrator

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.