House to probe POGO issues next month

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is set to look into the alleged anomalies of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), a lawmaker said yesterday.

ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Go Yap, who chairs the committee on games and amusement, said the panel would tackle alleged anomalies in the POGO industry when Congress resumes session next month.

Yap said the panel is expected to consolidate resolutions filed by his colleagues seeking congressional inquiry into the operations of POGO, including the surge of unregistered foreign workers in the country.

“Once we resume session in November, we will have a briefing with Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) to tackle these POGO issues,” he said.

Last month, lawmakers filed resolutions urging Congress to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation on the reported violations of immigration laws and non-payment of income taxes to the government by POGOs.

Through House Resolution 337, Minority Leader and Manila sixth district Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., Deputy Speaker and Cibac party-list Rep. Eduardo Villanueva, Muntinlupa Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon and Manila first district Rep. Manuel Luis Lopez cited the need for the inquiry to regulate the POGO industry and ensure that government is able to properly collect revenues from its operations.

Based on figures of the Department of Labor and Employment, there are around 138,000 foreign workers in the Philippines, mostly Chinese employed by POGOs. Of the number, 83,760 were issued special work permit and 54,240 have alien employment permit.

“The inquiry is long overdue given the issues that have surfaced regarding the POGO industry. The fact that we cannot accurately account for these workers is troubling,” Abante said.

Apart from revenue losses, he expressed concern over reports that POGO hubs have been established in what Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana referred to as “strategic locations.”

“What kind of possible threats do these POGO hubs near our defense installations represent? These and other concerns are what we want to address in an inquiry,” Abante said.

POGO casinos are located near Philippine defense installations such as Camp Aguinaldo and the headquarters of the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame, Philippine Air Force in Pasay City, Philippine Army in Taguig City, Philippine Navy on Roxas Boulevard and Sangley Point in Cavite.

Militant lawmakers supported the investigation on the POGO industry.

Bayan Muna party-list Reps. Carlos Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite and Eufemia Cullamat filed House Resolution 221 seeking probe on the effects of POGOs on the local economy, national security and the people in general.

Another lawmaker, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, filed a separate resolution seeking probe on POGO firms illegally operating in the country.

Barbers said he has received information that 46 out of 58 POGOs licensed by Pagcor are unregistered local or foreign corporations.

He said these illegal POGOs “may undermine the administration’s campaign against money laundering as well as drugs and crimes.”

POGO firm to pay P45-M tax

Meanwhile, POGO service provider Altech Innovations Business Outsourcing has committed to settle its P45-million tax liabilities with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Department of Finance said yesterday.

In a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, BIR deputy commissioner Arner Guballa said Altech Innovations’ tax deficiencies include unremitted withholding taxes of its foreign employees. – With Mary Grace Padin