House Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Wednesday, June 12, that he is open to hearing all sides concerning the proposition of entirely banning Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) from the Philippines.
According to Romualdez, the proposition would have to go through a proper process to ensure every entity with a stake in the business will be listened to.
He said these stakeholders' positions on the issue, whether for or against the POGOs' closure, will have to be considered in hearings. Only in holding these will the Chamber be able to decide on the best course of action.
"We have a process for that [banning POGOs], we have to go through that process where hearings will be held and we have to hear the concerns of all our stakeholders, what is their position. And from there, we will be weighing our options on what to do best with them," Romualdez said.
The speaker clarified that he was of the position that the country's laws should prevail, and foreigners obey them.
"For me, what’s important is that all our [POGO] stakeholders must follow the rule of law, and for those who will violate our laws, then I must say you’ll be sorry because our law enforcers will definitely be going after you. We will implement our law to the fullest," he noted.
"That is why if they [the Chinese operating POGO outlets] are doing everything illegal, then they will really be arrested. But if they will just be law-abiders, then I don’t think we will have any problems," he added.
The House of Representatives Committee on Games and Amusement had already approved House Bill 5082 and House Resolution 1197, measures which seek to ban POGOs as illegal operations, although plenary deliberation has yet to be scheduled.
