Malacañang has defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision not to ban or suspend the operations of the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) despite the crimes linked to the industry.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President had “enough basis” not to halt operations of the industry apart from the report of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on the billions of pesos in revenue generated by POGOs.
“‘Yang problema na sinasabi na ma-a-address ‘yan ng mga government agencies involved in enforcing the laws,” Panelo told reporters.
“Kumbaga you cannot be burning the entire house just because there are so many rats there.”
He also said criminal activities had also cropped up following the influx of Korean nationals into the Philippines.
“‘Yung sinasabi na social ills, that has been with us for the longest of time. The same problems crop up when the Koreans came. Ganoon din ang mga reklamo: may prostitution pero ‘yung mga government agencies ang dapat na nag-aaddress nun,” Panelo said.
Panelo said such claim needed to be validated. /Stacy Ang
