The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged Local Government Units (LGUs) to scrutinize documents of establishments as their first line of defense in granting business permits.
In a radio interview, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said business process and licensing offices (BPLOs) and village officials must ensure that only those who do legitimate operations would be given business permits.
“They have that power dun sa mga negosyo, inisa-isa ‘yan at sa pinakababa mo (over those businesses, they should check every single business and at the bottom), you have the barangay captain kasi bago magbigay ng permit sa negosyo, of course dapat lahat ay nalalaman nila ang mga (before a business permit is granted, of course, they should be aware of all) activities,” Abalos said.
The DILG chief said local officials who have reason to believe that a business is engaged in suspicious and illegal activities must coordinate with proper authorities.
The move came following the recent raid at an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Porac, Pampanga, allegedly operating as a scam farm.
Authorities discovered computers, mobile phones, guns, ammunition and even alleged uniforms of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
Some foreigners who were alleged victims of torture were rescued from the facility.
Abalos, meanwhile, directed LGUs and the Philippine National Police to be on the lookout for some 200 to 400 establishments whose applications to operate as POGOs were rejected by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR).
“Kausap ko lang si (PAGCOR) chairman (Alejandro Tengco) 43 na lang, so ‘yang 43 na sinasabi sa akin, halos linggo linggo tsine-check nila (In my talks with the PAGCOR chairman, there are only 43 licensed POGOs here, so those 43 are undergoing weekly checks),” Abalos said.
“So you could just imagine, ‘yung hindi mo napagbigyan ng permit, nasa Pilipinas pa ‘yung iba dyan at malamang na gumagawa ng (those who were not given permits might be still here in the Philippines and some of them are likely to be involved in) illegal activities,” he added.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission earlier urged LGUs to report suspected illegal POGO hubs and scam farms in their areas. (ANTONIO)
