Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. has ordered a crackdown against the Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO) in Angeles City allegedly being operated by Chinese investors who are skirting laws in mainland China.
On Friday night, Mayor Lazatin along with the Angeles City Police and the Business Permit and Licensing Division (BPLD), closed the Golden Build Limited Inc which operates three floors of POGO at the JunHyun Building, Friendship Circumferential Road in Brgy. Anunas.
Two other establishments in the area – Lucky Lucy KTV and Mirage – were also closed after the inspection team found a number of their workers have no health cards. The Golden Build Limited Inc. does not have a business permit and not paying business taxes. The BPLD report also cited the firm as having misdeclared its business operations.
The BPLD noted the operators have refused to sign the closure order.
The illegal gambling firm had been closed. Countless POGO firms are reportedly operating in the country.
But Mayor Lazatin said he will not tolerate the illegal POGO firms in the city. The Philippines is reportedly losing around P22 billion per year due to unpaid income taxes of thousands of illegal POGO workers, according to authorities.
Mayor Lazatin led a saturation drive against erring businesses along the Friendship Circumferential Road on Friday night. Along with him are Chief Adviser Irish Calaguas, Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel, BPLD Chief Vanjie Malonzo and the Angeles City Police.