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Four committees from the House of Representatives; namely Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts will be forming a panel to investigate possible links between former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign and Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs). This would include allegations that officials were bribed with “drug money” to allow POGOs to secretly proliferate.
The multi-committee panel, House Resolution 1880, aims to propose “remedial legislation” after holding its investigation, the first meeting of which will be held on 15 August, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, Chair of the House Dangerous Drugs panel said.
“Basically, we really saw that all the issues are interconnected,” Rep. Dan Fernandez, Chair of the House Public Order and Safety Committee said, adding that the collaboration was aimed to ensure the efficiency of the investigation.
Fernandez also stated that House Speaker Martin Romualdez supported the creation of the panel.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte will also be invited to address the issues under his term. But, it will not be a form of “political persecution,” Barber assures.
Manila, 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante, Chair of the House Human Rights Committee, noted that the investigation will touch on issues that only the former President can shed light on.
The investigation into POGOs and their links had begun even before the nationwide ban was announced by current Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The nationwide POGO ban received support from both the Philippines people, most of their representatives, as well as praise from China.
