By Brian Campued
Key government agencies on Wednesday signed the inter-agency standard operating procedures (SOP) to enforce the ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
In a news release, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the guidelines “put the final nail in the coffin” of POGOs and prevent “their resurrection in a different form.”
He underscored President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s stern directive of dismantling an industry that had promised revenues and jobs but caused suffering to Filipinos.
“Since it was handed down almost two years ago, the presidential directive has been carried out with speed, resolve and boldness,” Recto, who presided over the signing of the SOP in Malacañang, said.
The inter-agency SOP ensures the full implementation of Executive Order (EO) 74 and Republic Act (RA) 12312 or the POGO Ban Act, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Aside from the two measures, the SOP consolidates 15 other laws and department orders into “one omnibus action plan” to address POGOs, illegal gambling licensees, and related crimes—covering intelligence gathering, operations, evidence handling, prosecution, and asset preservation.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) will serve as the principal coordinating agency, while the Department of Justice (DOJ) will embed prosecutors early in case buildup to improve case quality and certainty of conviction.
The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), on the other hand, will handle financial and corporate intelligence related to the “fruits of the illicit activities.”
The SOP also addresses the management and maintenance of seized POGO assets.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will provide temporary shelter for victims, ensure non-criminalization of trafficked persons, and grant access to witness protection.
-av
