Ano orders PNP to look into alleged prostitution in POGO centers

January 30, 2020

Interior and Local Government  Secretary Eduardo Ano on Thursday said he gave instructions to the Philippine National Police to look into alleged prostitution activities in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) industry.

This after Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairman of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, conducted an investigation in aid of legislation regarding the reported emergence of prostitution dens in the country involving Chinese POGO employees.

“I gave an instruction to the chief PNP to strengthen and give emphasis on this particular prostitution. We find out that prostitution is really going on victimizing Chinese and using local Filipina and actually also Chinese nationals,” Ano said in an interview with reporters on the sidelines of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) Prospects Forum.

Ano said PNP chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa also issued a directive to PNP- Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) to intensify their campaign against prostitution.

He added they will also create special units to keep track on POGO centers,

“We will beef up our women’s desk, also special units to keep track of these POGO centers,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said the statement of Hontiveros police are protecting prostitution dens is an “unvalidated assumption”.

“The NCRPO is continuously conducting several raids and operations against these kind syndicates and up to this moment, we are ceaselessly working on intensifying our efforts to eradicate the proliferation of this prostitution syndicates,” said Police Major General Debold Sinas. acting NCRPO chief. 

“As the regional director, I can guarantee that the theory that there are personnel within our ranks who colludes with Chinese prostitution syndicates is an unvalidated assumption,” he said.

Last Wednesday, the Makati City Police Station arrested three Chinese allegedly involved in prostitution and gambling. Also rescued were 13 foreign women, two Russians, two Vietnamese and nine Chinese. Ella Dionisio/DMS