PNP: Anti-Pogo ops gain more teeth with IRR signing

MANILA, Philippines — The newly signed implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Pogo Act of 2025 will give law enforcers “more teeth” to hunt down underground gaming operations in the country, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.

“Our intelligence-gathering and coordination with other agencies are strong on this matter, and the signing of the IRR will add more teeth in our campaign to totally wipe out the remaining illegal Pogos (Philippine offshore gaming operators) in the country,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.

Nartatez said the PNP is intensifying its surveillance efforts against Pogo hubs that continue to operate despite the nationwide ban.

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READ: PNP intensifies ops vs ‘guerrilla-style’ scam hubs tied to Pogos

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“We remain committed to preventing the resurgence of Pogo operations in the country. Our personnel are on the lookout for clandestine pogo hubs that may have re-emerged despite the ban on Pogo operations,” Nartatez said in a press release.

The PNP chief vowed to tighten coordination with other law enforcement agencies to prevent Pogos from exploiting enforcement gaps.

He also ordered the strengthening of case buildup against Pogo workers to ensure their prosecution. 

The signing of the IRR last week marks a “step toward full and effective implementation” of the anti-Pogo law or Republic Act No. 12312, which criminalized all Pogo operations in the country, the Department of Justice said in a Facebook post over the weekend.  Andre Esguerra, INQUIRER.net trainee /jpv