Palace: Gov’t speeding up process for forfeiture of POGO assets

NO MORE. The country’s biggest Philippine offshore gaming operator compound, located in Kawit, Cavite, is shut down Tuesday (Dec. 17, 2024). Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the government is fast-tracking the process of acquiring the seized properties and assets of illegal operators. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The government is exhausting all efforts to fast-track the process of acquiring the seized properties and assets of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), Malacañang said on Tuesday.

On the sidelines of an event at Malacañan Palace in Manila, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin stressed that while there are already laws on forfeiture of properties, the process is “very slow.”

“We are already doing everything to hasten the process, except that we have to give due process to whoever appears to be the holder of those assets,” Bersamin said.

“Hindi namin pwede i-grab basta (We could not grab it without due process) but they already have in place laws and regulations about forfeiture,” he added.

The Senate is reportedly eyeing the passage of a bill authorizing the forfeiture of all POGO assets “in favor of the government.”

Under the proposed measure, the government will take over all buildings, materials, equipment and proceeds of illegal POGOs.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. no longer needs to issue a directive, since it is “already a given” that the POGO properties and assets would be forfeited, “if they were involved in a crime,” Bersamin said

Bersamin said the assets would be used for “any kind of purpose that is legitimate to the government and to the use of the property.”

“Those buildings will become assets of the government, so the government will dispose of them as its judgment will guide,” he said.

A similar measure was filed by the House of Representatives in November this year.

On Nov. 5, Marcos issued Executive Order (EO) 74, ordering the immediate ban of POGOs, internet gaming, and other offshore gaming operations in the country.

EO 74 covers internet gaming licensees (IGLs) and other offshore gaming licensees.

The ban on POGOs/IGLs and other offshore gaming operations also encompasses license applications, license renewals, and cessation of operations, according to the EO.