PAGCOR Confirms that Presidential Memo to Shut POGOs Immediately was Fake

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has confirmed that a memo that was reportedly from the office of the Presidential administration and instructed local government units to shut POGOs immediately was a fake.

According to a report on the PAGCOR website, the memo instructed local government departments to close any online casinos (POGOs) operating in their areas by the first week of August.

The memo came just days after President’s State of the Nation Address during which Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr stated that Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) are to be shut down as more locally-based online casinos have been linked to scams and other criminal activity.

However, Atty. Jessa Mariz Fernandez, head of PAGCOR’s Offshore Gaming Licensing Department shared an image of the memo reiterating that was in fact a forgery of a previously released memo and altered to include the new deadline of August.

Atty. Fernandez said:

“We have not issued a memorandum ordering LGUs to immediately close down POGO operations in their jurisdiction because the President’s order is very clear: We have until the end of the year to wind down POGO operations, and we will follow that. The fake memo was telling select LGUs in Metro Manila to terminate POGO operations “within the first week of August”.

This is a clear disinformation intended to create chaos and confusion. Whoever is behind this clearly has ulterior motives, and we shall ask the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate and unmask them to determine their motives.”

Closure Still on Track but no Firm Deadline

She went on to add that no steps should be taken to shut down POGO operators as of yet. Instead the status quo would remain in effect until a firm deadline for closure has been set.

She added:

“We reiterate, and we advise our LGUs, that licensed IGLs can continue operating until we have determined the process of winding down their operations, which we currently have not yet finalized.”

During his annual address to parliament last week, Mr Marcos said that the operators would be shut down this year. He noted that the businesses were often used as a cover for financial scamming operations and money laundering. He also added that some had been linked to human trafficking.