'Let's not hurry this president': Palace says Duterte has no basis yet to ban POGOs
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has no basis yet to suspend the operations of Philippine offshore gaming operators, Malacañang said Thursday, as it denied that the chief executive is too soft on issues involving China.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the president needs to have a "comprehensive report" on the alleged illegal activities tied to POGOs before deciding whether to halt their operations.
"You know, when the president decides on something, he has the goods to back up his decision. If he has not received a comprehensive report on these illegal practices, then you cannot hurry him up. That's how the president acts. He is a lawyer. We lawyers need evidence," Panelo said at a press briefing.
"We have to wait for him (Duterte), because he will be waiting for reports coming from all agencies relative to this issue and then he will make a decision on that," he added.
The government earned at least P7 billion from POGOs but the proliferation of gaming hubs have been tied to illegal activities like the kidnapping of Chinese nationals, tax evasion, prostitution, money laundering and human trafficking.
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Panelo had said Duterte may suspend the operation of POGOs if he receives complaints of anomalies the same way he temporarily halted the games operated by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office due to alleged "massive corruption" in the state-run gaming firm.
The suspension of the operations of lotto and small town lottery has since been lifted.
Panelo insisted that the issues hounding POGOs cannot be compared with the controversy that surrounded PCSO.
"As far as the president is concerned, when he suspended (the PCSO-operated games), he had basis for doing so. In this case, he has no basis yet. It is still being studied," the Palace spokesman said.
"You cannot compare because the investigation (on the PCSO games) had been completed. In this case, it's not yet finished," he added.
Contrary to Panelo's claim, the operation of PCSO-operated games were suspended while agencies were probing the alleged irregularities in the state gaming firm.
When asked why the president cannot do the same to POGOs, Panelo replied: "Let’s not hurry up this president. This president is...judicious."
Panelo said the decision on whether to suspend the operations of POGOs pending the investigation of law enforcement agencies would depend on Duterte's "judgment."
Pressed whether he thought the benefits the Phippines is getting from POGOs outweigh the illegal activities tied to them, Panelo said: "Well, if you can stop all these illegal practices, then POGO is good."
"Since it's (POGOs) still operating, so he (Duterte) has not said that he is against it," he added.
Panelo said POGOs are a "huge source of income" of the government and could help bankroll projects and the salary hikes of nurses.
"If there is anything wrong with the system on POGO then we have to review it, evaluate it and then streamline it, improve it. And all the agencies involved must do their job, so that any corruption, any unlawful acts can be either neutralized or completely stopped," he added.
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Panelo also disputed Sen. Richard Gordon's claim that the problems surrounding POGOs are caused by Duterte's "too soft" stance on China. Duterte has been seeking closer ties with China and has tapped Chinese loans for some of the government's key infrastructure projects.
"I disagree; then he (Gordon) does not know this president. The president is never soft on anything that relates to the national interest. He’s a very decisive president," Panelo said.
Panelo also denied that the administration is not doing anything about the issues tied to POGOs, saying Duterte has directed the Customs and Immigration bureaus, the National Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies to look into them.
He reiterated that Gordon should help the administration address the illegal activities linked to POGOs by sharing information to law enforcers.
"If one particular agency or office or any department or branch of government has knowledge of any report on any anomaly or any violation of law, then it is the duty of everyone in this government to share information. We should be cooperating with each other. Certainly we are not hurt," Panelo said.
"That is precisely why I was asking and hoping that he could share that information to our police authorities, because if the police authorities do not know that yet, then that would be very welcome to them," he added.
Panelo claimed that the government "is always concerned when any issue affecting the national interest and national security."
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