OWNERS of buildings, resorts, condominiums and hotels where Chinese nationals are hiding their illegal Philippine offshore gaming operations should be held equally accountable for such unlawful activities taking place in their properties, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez said Monday.
“I think those who owns these properties knows that…. kung ako halimbawa ako may-ari nung isang building alam ko kung anong ipapasok na negosyo. There should be responsibility on their part as well di ba?” Asked Fernandez, who chairs the House Committee on Public Order and Safety told Philippine National Police (PNP) and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) officials during the Quad Comm hearing.
The Laguna lawmaker called attention to recent raids conducted by PAOCC, PNP and other agencies at an Alabat Island resort in Quezon, Yuchengco Tower on Ayala Avenue in Makati City and a Pasay City hotel.
Quoting news reports, he said 42 Chinese nationals were arrested in Alabat, while 188 Chinese citizens were taken into custody in the Yuchengco Tower raid.
“Kasi kung hindi natin lalagyan ng penalty itong mga owners most likely dadami talaga ‘yan. Kailangan maging accountable din ‘yung mga may-ari ng properties dahil nga kaso nga hindi naman po ganun kadali na may darating na 188 na Chinese nationals tapos hindi mo alam kung anong i-ooperate sa building mo,” he added. “Dapat po meron silang culpability as well.”
He said the property owners should be charged with violating Executive Order No. 74, which President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. issued last November 5.
The President’s order banned “Philippine offshore gaming, internet gaming and other offshore gaming operations” in the country.
Responding to a question from Fernandez, a PNP-Criminal Investigation Group official said none of the property lessors has been charged.
However, Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz of PAOCC said they are looking at a “template” to include property owners in criminal cases, together with POGO operators and personnel.
“We already did this in the case of the Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga POGOs,” he said.
Cruz also informed Fernandez and Quad Comm that no actual illegal POGO operation was taking place in Alabat.
“As to the POGO operation hindi po nakitaan ng POGO operation,” Cruz said. “Parang ang nangyari is nagse-set-up pa lang sila and they were caught.”
In the case of the Yuchengco Tower raid in Makati City, he said it was a full-pledged POGO operation.
He said the arrested 188 Chinese were running the operation in five floors of the luxury building.
Cruz called for a “whole-of-government approach” to illegal POGOs, which he said have broken up into hard-to-detect small “guerrilla” teams.
“We need the cooperation of our local government units, where these groups sometimes obtain permits, and of course our local communities,” he said.
Fernandez estimated that there were still about 10,000 small POGOs operating in the country.
For his part, new PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre lll informed Quad Comm presided over by Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers that they are cooperating with PAOCC, NBI and other agencies in running after POGO remnants.
