00:00In the middle of the ongoing campaign against POGO,
00:04there's a new modus operandi to recruit victims.
00:10That's what Daniel Manalasta guessed.
00:14At first glance, you'd think it's just an ordinary travel ad
00:18that says, all expenses paid or free, and limited stocks only.
00:22Travel incentive, just like this one,
00:25free travel to Thailand.
00:26But according to Senator Rizal Hontiveros,
00:29this is a new modus operandi led by POGO.
00:32They have new modus operandi.
00:35Travel ads.
00:37Travel ads from the start.
00:40But to signify interest,
00:43they will sign in and recruit
00:49for scam operations.
00:53There are already victims of this scam.
00:56Hontiveros said, there are already 12 Filipinos
00:59waiting to be rescued in Myanmar.
01:02The senator admitted that it's really hard
01:04to completely get rid of POGO in the country.
01:06Because it's been in the country for a long time
01:09since the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
01:12Last month or early this month,
01:15our anti-POGO bill was passed.
01:20The EO issued a complaint
01:23to give a bribe to the announced POGO ban
01:29and to continue law enforcement operations.
01:34But obviously, it's still not enough.
01:36But in the middle of the POGO ban,
01:38Senate President Francis Escudero said,
01:40there is a PIGO, or Philippine Inland Gaming Operations.
01:44So where the senator saw it, it should also be investigated.
01:48In PIGO, it's the Filipinos who gamble.
01:51So what we're saying, it's not allowed in foreign countries,
01:55we're allowing our countrymen to do that.
01:58If there's a next step,
02:00that's what should be investigated and studied.
02:03If POGO is bad for foreigners,
02:06is PIGO good for Filipinos?
02:09That's probably the next chapter, if ever.
02:12Daniel Maranastas for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
