By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
The Philippine Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is loaded. Yep, it’s loaded with a lot of BS, and Senator Koko Pimentel is not taking any of it. He has even threatened to introduce a bill ripping it off the design of government.
Who wouldn’t be frustrated or furious with PAGCOR after it blatantly twisted the clear order of the President in his State of the Nation Address last week: “I am ordering the ban of POGOs in the country.”
What kind of nincompoop does not understand that? The thing is, PAGCOR is not incompetent. It is cunningly evasive.
Pimentel, the Senate minority leader, has warned that if PAGCOR does not fully comply with President Marcos’s directive to shut down all Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), he will push for its abolition.
Rightfully so, what excuse does PAGCOR have to defy the Chief Executive’s marching orders? The current PAGCOR leadership must think they’re some kind of untouchables. Why is that exactly?
This might well stoke previously raised suspicions that some POGOs classified as legal by PAGCOR are fattening the war chests of powerful and influential individuals vying for next year’s mid-term polls.
POGO is POGO
Interestingly Pimentel pointed out that PAGCOR might attempt to dodge the directive by claiming that the President’s announcement during his SONA only applied to POGOs and not to internet gaming licensees (IGLs).
Hold on a minute! Since when has PAGCOR been using the term IGLs for offshore gaming establishments authorized to operate in the country — when it started to be a convenient cover?
Pimentel accused PAGCOR of trying to muddy the waters by renaming POGOs as IGLs, warning that such tactics would only intensify scrutiny and investigations against them.
Likewise, PAGCOR has no business requesting that 12 out of the 43 POGO companies be spared from the nationwide ban.
In the spirit of transparency, PAGCOR should even publicly name these “Magic 12” POGOs it wants to spare. What makes them so special?
POGO is POGO.
Firing Line only has one call to this hard-headed government-operated and controlled corporation (GOCC): adhere strictly to the President’s instructions! Otherwise, then let’s all call on the Senate to repeal the decree that created PAGCOR and its loose-cannon POGO authorizations in the country.
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