PRO-7: No Pogo hubs monitored in Central Visayas

Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office Central Visayas, said that they have not monitored any Pogo operations in the region in recent times. | Emmariel Ares

CEBU CITY, Philippines – An official of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) said that they have not monitored any Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) hubs in the region in recent times.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, PRO-7 spokesperson, said that this finding was based on their recent inventory.

“Hindi tumigil yung pagmomonitor natin sa Pogo. If you can remember when there was an instruction na hindi na i-allow yung Pogo, your Central Visayas police actually started conducting inventory. Previously, merong na-identify. But right now as we speak, wala nang namonitor na mga entities,” he stated.

Pelare also disclosed that previously, there were a few Pogo operations based in the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue.

However, the latest report from PRO-7’s intelligence units showed that those hubs are now inactive.

Despite this, Pelare said that they are not discounting the possibility that there are Pogo hubs in the region that are still hidden.

“But we still do not discount the possibility baka meron, hindi pa lang nakikita. But our assurance is that we will always uphold what is the instruction of the national headquarters to go against Pogo,” he noted.

It can be recalled that on Tuesday, June 4, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and joint operatives of the Philippine National Police units conducted a raid in Pampanga.

READ: Pagcor: Stricter rules needed to control Pogo 

This resulted in the apprehension of over 190 individuals inside a Pogo complex along Friendship Highway, Angeles City.

In Bambam, Tarlac, Mayor Alice Guo has been charged over her alleged ties with an illegal Pogo hub in the town.

Moreover, authorities are closely monitoring the operations of unlicensed Pogo hubs located next to military hubs that are suspected to be a possible tool for China to stage a “surprise attack” against military installations.

In view of what is happening in Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon, Pelare assured that they will continue to monitor the activities of possible Pogo hubs in Central Visayas in order to put a stop to them if laws are violated. /with reports from Inquirer.net

/clorenciana