The Philippine Senate has obtained a committee report outlining the connections between Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGIs) and criminal activity, including prostitution and human trafficking.
The report discovered “a distinct connection between the proliferation of the POGI industry and the surge in prostitution and human trafficking cases.”
Raids conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) uncovered numerous prostitution dens catering to Chinese patrons, the majority of whom were POGI employees. This corroborated the report’s finding that the rise in the number of prostitution dens corresponded with the increase in the number of POGIs operating in Metro Manila.
The inquiry also discovered that WeChat was being utilized to arrange sexual services. The report also included testimonies from underage females who had been recruited into the trade, the youngest of whom was only 14 years old.
In one particular NBI operation, four Chinese nationals employed by an unnamed POGI were apprehended after a raid uncovered a Taiwanese national who had been trafficked into the country and had her passport confiscated and was subjected to sexual harassment.
The document asserts that the POGO sector in the Philippines has intensified local prostitution and human trafficking. The document also highlights that the POGO sector has promoted the arrival of prostitution and established a “Chinese-exclusive” prostitution scene, making the Philippines a hub for foreign trafficked women on an unprecedented level.
The panel suggests the signing of international agreements to safeguard foreign women from trafficking and prostitution, as law enforcement reports indicate that they have not received positive cooperation from the Chinese embassy when referring cases of rescued Chinese women to the embassy.
The document also recommends modifying the existing anti-trafficking law to address the utilization of online platforms for criminal activities and the immediate enactment of the anti-trafficking law amendment. The document further recommends revising the current anti-prostitution law to reflect the reality of technology facilitating prostitution.
Previously, Makati City in the Philippines ceased issuing permits to POGOs in 2019 due to their association with prostitution and crime. The nation also imposed additional taxes on POGOs last year.
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