Philippines Shuts Down POGOs Amid Cheers in Parliament

Loud cheers erupted in the Philippine Parliament following the announcement of the shutdown of all Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs). The decision comes after a significant raid on a Chinese-run online gambling center north of Manila, where hundreds of foreign and Filipino workers were allegedly forced to operate scams under threat of ill-treatment.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. acted decisively to outlaw the sector, citing its ventures into illicit activities far beyond gaming. "Their operations have extended into financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, and even murder. The grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws must stop," President Marcos stated.

The crackdown has also implicated local officials. Alis Lee, the mayor of Boman, has been accused of human trafficking and money laundering in connection with the POGO network. She has been suspended from her position but denies all allegations.

Online casinos mainly target mainland China, where gambling is illegal. Online scam syndicates have proliferated across Southeast Asia, swindling billions of dollars from victims worldwide. More than 300,000 scammers in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos alone are responsible for $39 billion in stolen funds annually out of a total of $63.9 billion worldwide. Northern Myanmar has become a hot spot for scam operations, with Chinese criminal networks raking in $3.8 billion from scams last year with the help of at least 30,000 local scammers.

Official figures indicate that over 60,000 foreigners and Filipinos are employed by licensed online gambling companies, while up to 100,000 could be working for illegal operations. Among them was Dyan, a Malaysian national who spent a month working at the Boman scam center under constant threats of punishment. "We already see a lot of parks where they tortured employees, maybe with electric shocks, maybe they were killed or anything. We know that once we're inside the park, anything can happen. That's why I was ready when I was in Boman, thinking maybe I would die in there or maybe I would find a way to help myself," Dyan recounted.

In May of last year, Philippine authorities rescued over 1,000 individuals who had been held captive and forced into running online scams. Since then, substantial efforts have been underway to crack down on the criminals. This week's move by President Marcos is being seen as another major step forward in the fight against illegal online gambling and associated criminal activities.

The international community watches closely as the Philippines takes a strong stance against these pervasive and damaging operations, hoping for a ripple effect that could lead to further crackdowns in the region.