Barbers: POGO-linked politicians in disarray after PBBM’s ban order

By Zaldy De Layola, Philippine News Agency

Barbers lauded President Marcos for his declaration to ban POGO operatives effective end of the year. (File Photo: Ace Barbers/Facebook)

MANILA – Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Tuesday said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s total ban on Philippine online gaming operators (POGOs) has effectively put in disarray all politicians who are banking on the online gaming firms’ financial support in the May 2025 midterm elections.

Barbers lauded President Marcos for his declaration to ban POGO operatives effective end of the year.

“The various social harm brought by POGO to us far outweighs the little economic contributions they made to our economy,” he said in a statement.

The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs chairperson said all POGOs who violated the Philippine laws should not be left unpunished.

He said the President’s order should be carried out properly by all concerned government agencies such as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, Bureau of Immigration, Anti-Money Laundering Council, Department of Labor and Employment, among others.

He said the President’s directive would also surely hurt financially other government officials called “Bagong Makapili or Chinese enablers” who earned various perks and privileges in the past for turning a blind eye despite the social menace brought in by POGOs.

In 2019, Barbers warned that the Chinese-operated POGOs could become a venue for illegal drugs trafficking and money laundering schemes.

“Aside from illegal drugs and money laundering activities, what the Filipino society saw from these POGO operations were various criminal activities, and they include wire fraud, investment scams, kidnapping, murder, prostitution, human trafficking, among others,” he said.

He said other unscrupulous Chinese nationals have managed to play around with Philippine laws, bribing their way in and out of mess, obtain fraudulently acquired Filipino identification, and pose as legitimate Filipinos transacting local businesses such as real estate firms.

He cited the case of one Chinese trader identified as a certain Willie Ong who is believed to be behind the shipment of 560 kilos of shabu worth PHP3.6 billion in September last year.

“Ong managed to illegally obtain a Filipino passport, an LTO driver’s license and other government-issued identification cards. He and his Chinese cohorts used it to establish Prime 999 realty firm and bought in cash a total of 320 ‘titled prime lots’ in Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and other parts of the country,” he said.