In a Senate hearing on February 15, Senator Mark Villar revealed that some POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) workers obtain fake marriage certificates, birth certificates, and passports from travel agencies so they can lie that they are Filipinos and work and stay legally in the country.
Villar pointed out that there may be "internal collusion" between travel agencies and related government agencies that help foreign POGO workers to obtain fake documents and extend their illegal stay in the country. He also mentioned that this illegal operation aggravates the problem of illegal immigration and shows the weakness of the government in monitoring such activities.
Since the start of the first Senate hearing, the government has made some progress in cracking down on POGOs, but there are still operations that continue to conduct their business. Investigating what is the reason for their continued operation even though it is prohibited.
During the hearing, it was discovered that some foreign POGO workers obtained documents that looked legitimate but were fake, with the help of travel agencies. According to Villar, travel agencies may have secret ties with government agencies responsible for issuing visas, so it is necessary to thoroughly investigate if there are complicit government officials in these illegal operations.
“There are foreigners who hold marriage certificates, birth certificates and fake passports using Filipino names. This is not just an issue of travel agencies, we need to investigate the responsibility of people within the government," said Villar.
Villar also pointed out that although there are local employees in the POGO industry, its negative effects outweigh the economic benefits, especially in cases of human trafficking, scams, and abuse. He urged the government to immediately shut down all POGO operations and hold accountable the accomplices in the local operations.
“More and more evidence shows that the risk posed by POGOs outweighs their economic contribution. Let's not allow the Philippines to become a nest of illegal activities, we need to take action on the POGO ban and investigate those who rule the illegal operations," said Villar.
The hearing also discussed the actions of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) that investigated the role of travel agencies as the main "intermediaries" in the illegal entry and prolonged stay of POGO workers. The Senate promised that they will continue to monitor the implementation of the POGO ban and ensure that violators are held accountable according to the law and prevent similar incidents in the future.
