Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) along Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) raid a BPO compound in Bagac, Bataan on October 31,2024 alleged to be a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO), following a search warrant for human trafficking violations. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

POGO-HUB

Adrian Ayalin

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173578509232820241031-pogo-raid-bagac-MT-11.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) along Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) raid a BPO compound in Bagac, Bataan on October 31,2024 alleged to be a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO), following a search warrant for human trafficking violations. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>--</p><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATED) </strong>— The Office of the Solicitor General said it would seek the cancellation of spurious birth certificates and the forfeiture of assets of foreign nationals who worked for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).</p><p>Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said government efforts against POGOs will not end after the exit of foreign workers on December 31, 2024, the deadline set by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. for the end of all POGO operations.</p><p>Cancellation of birth certificates and the forfeiture of assets are subject to court processes.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/31/paocc-government-monitoring-indicators-of-small-scale-pogo-operations-1859">PAOCC: Government monitoring &#x27;indicators&#x27; of small-scale POGO operations</a></div><p>“The OSG’s massive post-POGO tasks will consist of cancelling all certificates of birth fraudulently acquired by aliens [or] foreign nationals and forfeiting their illegally acquired real properties and other assets in the Philippines,” Guevarra said.</p><p>The 1987 Constitution reserves ownership of land to Filipinos and to corporations that have majority Filipino ownership.</p><p>“The first order of the day is to take possession of and control over them,” Guevarra said when asked about the estimated value of illegally acquired property.</p><p>Guevarra said the OSG would release the estimated amount of fraudulently acquired assets of foreign POGO workers as soon as it is available.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/11/pogo-free-by-2025-govt-expects-rogue-pogos-to-flourish-vows-to-go-after-them-1558">POGO-free by 2025? Gov&#x27;t expects &#x27;rogue&#x27; POGOs to flourish, vows to go after them</a></div><div><strong>&#x27;FORFEITED PROPERTIES SHOULD BE REPARATIONS FOR POGO TRAFFICKING VICTIMS&#x27;</strong></div><p>Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who held investigations into alleged crimes at the POGOs, welcomed the OSG’s plan.</p><p>&quot;Ngayong bagong taon, dapat New Year’s resolution na ng gubyerno ang matiyak na walang dayuhan ang mananamantala ng ating mga institusyon,&quot; she said Thursday.</p><p>(This new year, it should be the government’s New Year’s resolution to make sure no foreigners are taking advantage of our institutions)</p><p>She said she is sure that more foreign nationals who obtained birth documents or properties under false pretenses have yet to be held accountable.</p><p>&quot;Let us be vigilant about efforts of POGO criminals to obtain Filipino citizenship by whatever means,&quot; she said.</p><p>She added that property seized by the government “should then be used as reparation for human trafficking victim-survivors, as stated in the Anti-Financial Account and Scamming Act.”</p><p>Hontiveros has been pushing for passage of the Anti-POGO bill, which she said is meant to address potential loopholes in the executive order banning offshore gambling operations.</p><p>Among the provisions of the bill is for POGO assets to be &quot;forfeited in favor of the government.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><br/><iframe width="1080" height="608" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z3wZkppRchE" title="PAOCC vows to go after &#x27;small-scale POGO ops&#x27; in 2025 | TeleRadyo Serbisyo" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><iframe width="1080" height="608" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2y3YS50wb8I" title="LOOK: Inside the shuttered POGO hub in Island Cove, Cavite | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Office of the Solicitor General said it would cancel all birth certificates and forfeit assets of foreign nationals who worked for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).</p>

The Office of the Solicitor General said it would cancel all birth certificates and forfeit assets of foreign nationals who worked for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

OSG to seek cancellation of POGO-linked birth certificates, forfeiture of assets | ABS-CBN

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OSG to seek cancellation of POGO-linked birth certificates, forfeiture of assets

OSG to seek cancellation of POGO-linked birth certificates, forfeiture of assets

Adrian Ayalin,

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 02, 2025 10:35 AM PHT

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Updated Jan 02, 2025 03:54 PM PHT

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