2 senators hail Pogo ban order, but hearings will continue
Sen. Risa Hontiveros —SENATE PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Two senators rejoiced on Monday after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos), even the legal ones, are banned in the country.
For her part, Senate Deputy Minority floor leader Risa Hontiveros said Marcos’ pronouncement is a huge victory for the whole country.
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“As the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women who led the investigation about the crimes linked to Pogo, I cannot express the joy and comfort that I felt when Pogo was finally banned in the country,” said Hontiveros in a statement.
To prove her point, Hontiveros said Pogos have brought innumerable and unspeakable social ills into the country.
Article continues after this advertisement“This is an important first of many steps that we must take in order to make accountable those who allowed these crimes (that these Pogos brought) to proliferate here in our country,” said Hontiveros.
Article continues after this advertisementSen. Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, praised Marcos for the latter’s third State of the Nation Address (Sona) speech.
“I commend the President for an excellent and perfectly delivered speech that showed and proved that he listens and cares for the Filipino [people],” said Gatchalian.
Despite Marcos’ Pogo pronouncement, both Hontiveros and Gatchalian emphasized Senate hearings on Pogo will continue to demand accountability.”
The two, among their other colleagues in the upper chamber, have been calling on President Marcos to finally ban Pogos in the Philippines, emphasizing that these only made the country a hotbed of crimes.