By Brian Campued
The House of Representatives’ Quad-Committee lead chairperson Robert Ace Barbers called on law enforcement authorities to arrest the remaining 9,000 to 10,000 former workers of padlocked Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) who are still in the country.
During the mega panel’s 15th and final hearing on Monday, Barbers stressed that the continued presence of said former POGO workers poses threats to national security.
“To quote [Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission Usec. Gilbert Cruz], these foreigners are now ‘pakalat-kalat.’ You, the concerned agencies, should be proactive, ’wag tutulog-tulog. This matter involves national security because these foreigners may now either be criminals or spies. For all you know, one of them is your neighbor,” Barbers said.
“If we do not know how many POGO workers have entered the country and where are they located, how can we monitor their activities?”
Officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Central Luzon said they had already cancelled the alien employment permits issued to foreign POGO workers in Region 3, while the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said the agency had revoked their working visas and downgraded them to tourist visas.
Quad-Comm overall vice chairperson Romeo Acop also lamented the lack of a database of tourist visas and other entry permits issued to foreign POGO workers, “That is because several agencies are authorized by law to issue visas, including the Department of Foreign Affairs, the special economic zones, PRA (Philippine Retirement Authority), and even DTI (Department of Trade and Industry).”
Contempt orders vs. Roque, Michael Yang lifted
During the same hearing, the quad panel also lifted the contempt and detention orders against former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and his wife Mylah Roque, former presidential adviser Michael Yang, PCol. Hector Grijaldo, and SPO4 Arthur Narsolis.
Quad-Comm co-chairperson Joseph Stephen Paduano moved to lift the contempt orders and was duly seconded and approved by Barbers.
Roque was cited for contempt for allegedly giving false testimony linked to POGO representative Cassandra Ong and for refusing to submit documents related to his alleged connection with POGOs.
The Regional Trial Court of Angeles, Pampanga has issued an arrest warrant against Roque, who is currently seeking asylum in the Netherlands, for charges of qualified human trafficking tied to Lucky South 99, a POGO hub raided in Porac, Pampanga.
Roque’s wife, Mylah, was subpoenaed several times over her alleged role in acquiring properties associated with the POGO hub.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic adviser, Michael Yang, was subpoenaed over links to illegal drug trade and POGOs.
Grijaldo, meanwhile, had been detained at the House of Representatives since December 2024 for repeatedly ignoring subpoenas in hearings on alleged extrajudicial killings during Duterte’s drug war.
Narsolis, who never attended the quad-comm probe, was being probed for allegedly ordering the killing of three Chinese drug suspects at the Davao Penal and Prison Farm in August 2016, reportedly under retired police colonel Royina Garma.
The mega panel—composed of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts—formally concluded its months-long investigation into the links between POGOs, illegal drug trade, and alleged EJKs linked to the war on drugs of the previous administration. (with report from Mela Lesmoras / PTV News)
—av
