Philippine lawmakers step up demand for ban on offshore gambling operators: ‘profoundly disturbing’
- The calls by senators follow a raid last week on a sex-trafficking ring near Manila that freed over 700 victims, mostly Chinese
- Beijing has repeatedly warned Chinese nationals not to work in Pogos in the Philippines, which have brought a spate of crime
Senators have reiterated their demand for a blanket ban on Philippine offshore gambling operators (Pogos) following a raid on a sex trafficking ring near Manila in which more than 700 victims, mostly Chinese, were rescued.
A task force led by the Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission last week swooped on a six-storey building in Pasay City and carried out searches at two gaming firms, whose licences had been revoked by the industry watchdog Pagcor, and were now operating under new names.
Law enforcement officials freed about 731 workers, including Chinese nationals, Filipinos and foreigners, from the establishment that also had a massage parlour, restaurant, pharmacy, karaoke television rooms and money vaults.
Six people were arrested during the operation, and they face human trafficking and torture charges.
Senator Joel Villanueva wondered how the companies were able to operate despite losing their permits, calling on Pagcor to buck up as he pushed for an outright ban on the crime-tainted business.
At their peak, Pogos employed more than 300,000 Chinese workers, but the pandemic, higher taxes and enforcement blitz have forced many to operate elsewhere.
Beijing has repeatedly warned Chinese nationals not to work in Pogos in the Philippines, which have brought a spate of crime, including cryptocurrency scam, kidnapping and murder.