INATASAN ni Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez ang liderato ng Kamara de Representantes at mga opisyal ng Secretariat na gumawa at magpasa ng panukalang batas kaugnay ng pahayag ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. na tuluyan nang ipagbawal ang Philippine offshore gaming operation (POGO) sa bansa.

Ipinag-utos din ni Speaker Romualdez ang pagpapatuloy ng imbestigasyon ng Kamara kaugnay ng mga iligal na ginagawa ng mga sindikato na may kaugnayan sa operasyon ng POGO.

“Immediately after the SONA of President Marcos, Jr., I met with House leaders and top Secretariat officials last night in my office. I asked them to come up with a proposed legislative measure that will put to a halt all POGO operations in the country effective December 2024 as ordered by the President,” ani Speaker Romualdez.

“This, however, will not stop ongoing House investigation on the criminal and other illegal activities linked to POGO. Hopefully, the House can learn from the hearings — on their modus operandi and the brains behind these activities — as part of inputs for the proposed measure that we will be crafting,” dagdag pa nito.

Sinabihan din ni Speaker Romualdez ang mga opisyal ng Secretariat na mayroong ilang panukala at resolusyon na nakabinbin sa House committee on games and amusement kaugnay ng operasyon ng POGO.

Kasama rito ang House Bill (HB) No. 5082 na inihain ni Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr.; HB No. 10525 na isinumite nina Makabayan bloc Reps. France Castro, Arlene Brosas at Raoul Danniel Manuel; ang House Resolution (HR) No. 503 na inihain ni Rizal Rep. Juan Fidel Nograles, HR No. 1197 ni Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, HR No. 1524 na inihain din ng Makabayan bloc, at ang privilege speech ni OFW Party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino.

Sinabi ni Speaker Romualdez na dapat pag-isahin ang mga panukala at resolusyon sa pagbuo ng substitute bill na katanggap-tanggap sa lahat ng stakeholder.

“I am requesting all the Committee chairs concerned to give this a priority. For the House Committee on Public Order and Security to submit their comprehensive report and recommendations to the Committee on Games and Amusement as soon as possible. And for the House Committee on Games and Amusement to come up with a committee report for immediate plenary deliberation,” sabi ni Speaker Romualdez.

“I want all bases in the total POGO ban covered in the proposed measure. We have to ensure that the POGO operators will not just resort to guerrilla operators or go undercover. The law must be crafted with iron-clad provisions to prevent a resurrection of these criminal and illegal activities,” dagdag pa nito.

Ipinaliwanag ni Speaker Romualdez na kailangang magpasa ng batas upang matiyak na tuluyang hindi na makakapag-operate sa bansa ang mga POGO at hindi sa panunungkulan lamang ni Pangulong Marcos.

“Gusto naming maging legacy ito ng Pangulong Marcos, Jr. Sisiguruhin natin na hindi na makakakilos ang mga sindikatong kriminal sa pamamagitan ng POGO at mapapanagot natin sa batas ang mga mastermind at lider ng mga sindikatong ito,” dagdag pa ni Speaker Romualdez.