Villanueva: Manifestation - POGO Committee Report

PHILIPPINES, February 4 - Press Release
February 4, 2025

Manifestation - POGO Committee Report
Sen. Joel Villanueva
February 4, 2025

Mr. President, first and foremost, this representation would like to manifest that we fully support all efforts to hold accountable not only GUO HUA PING and her cohorts but also to permanently put an end to the operations of all POGOs in the country.

2016 pa lamang ay isinusulong na ng representasyong ito ang pagbabawal sa POGO sa ating bansa. Nahuli po mismo ng atingopisina ang mga tao ng Bureau of Immigration Satellite Office sa SM Aura na nagpapatong ng P5,000 sa application fee nang walang resibo. Ang ating mga imbestigasyon ay umabot sapaghuli kina BI Commissioners Al Argosino at Michael Robles sa kanilang pagtanggap ng suhol kapalit ng paglaya ng mga nahulingChinese sa Clark joint operations.

Fast forward to 2024, POGO operations continued to grow and their crimes continued to get worse. Hanggang sa ang naging net costng patuloy na operasyon nila sa bansa ay umabot sa P99.52 billion kada taon, ayon saDOF. Hindi pa rito kasama ang social costs, gaya ng kawalan ng seguridad, kriminalidad, at pagkasira ng reputasyon ng bansa na hindinatin matatantiya.

Kaya tayo po ay nakiisa sa pag-iimbestiga ng Senado at nasaksihan mismo natin kung gaanokalaki, kadumi, at kalawak ang kanilangoperasyon. Nakasaad po dito sa Committee Report No. 514 ang naging resulta nitong mgapagdinig. We commend the hard work of the committee in this investigation which started in 2022 and lasted for two years.

As for the recommendations in the committee report, we respectfully submit some suggestions for the sponsor's consideration.

First, more than just amending the Anti-Money Laundering Law, it is our hope that there will be a strong regulatory framework for cryptocurrency and the enhanced coordination between the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Ayon sa ating mga ahensya, isa sa mga dahilankung bakit hindi nila agad na-detect ang mgailegal na transaksyon ni GUO HUA PING at mgaPOGO ay dahil sa kanilang paggamit ngcryptocurrency.

Maaalala po natin na sa bawat raid ng PAOCC at ng ating kapulisan, palaging may nadidiskubreng crypto wallets. Dapat ay magkaroon tayo ng matibay na regulatory framework para hindi na maulit ang ganitongpangyayari, na umabot muna ng bilyon-bilyonang halaga bago nadiskubre.

Second, we need now more than ever, to implement the provisions of our Freedom of Information Law, especially on the release of SALNs and bank records of public officials. Ang proseso po natin ngayon, kailangang i-disclose ng mismong iniimbestigahan ang kanyang bank accounts at sabihing hinahayaan niyang buksanang mga ito para makita ang mga transaksyon.

Kung ang isang tao ay may inililihim sa batas, dadalhin ba niya ang mga imbestigador kung saan niya mismo ito itinatago?

We hope that the spirit of the law will be implemented to achieve true transparency in the government. Mr. President, the people's right to information is guaranteed by no less than the fundamental law, specifically under Section 7, Article 3 of the Constitution which states that "The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized."

Ginoong Pangulo, maging ang ating mgainstitusyon ay nabahiran ng dumi dahil sapatuloy na naging operasyon ng mga POGO. Clearly, the costs of POGO operations outweigh its perceived benefits. Because of this, we filed Senate Bill No. 2752 or the Anti-POGO Act, which was considered in Senate Bill No. 2868 under Committee Report No. 342. We believe that the ban should go beyond the present administration. This proposed measure, and also this Committee Report No. 514, will be instrumental in eradicating all traces of POGOs in our country, including any means for them to return and resume their operations.

Thank you, Mr. President, and may God bless us all.