DOJ, PAOCC Unite Against Online Crime with Anti-POGO Act

DOJ, PAOCC Unite Against Online Crime with Anti-POGO Act

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | August 14, 2026

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) have formalized a landmark alliance, ushering in the full force of the “Anti-POGO Act of 2025.” Justice Secretary Fredderick A. Vida and PAOCC Undersecretary Benjamin C. Acorda, Jr. ceremonially signed the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) on August 12, 2026, in Malacañang, signaling a pivotal escalation in the nation’s fight against illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) and their associated criminal networks.

This signing marks a critical juncture, establishing a robust legal and operational framework for the government’s intensified efforts to eradicate illicit POGO activities and dismantle the organized crime syndicates they harbor.

Undersecretary Facundo Palafox IV of the Office of the Executive Secretary highlighted the imperative of unified governmental action for the Act’s effective implementation. Secretary Vida underscored the indispensable contributions of the PAOCC and the multi-agency Technical Working Group, which included the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), various special economic zone authorities, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), freeport authorities, and investment promotion agencies.

“With the signing of these Implementing Rules and Regulations, we transition immediately to enforcement,” Secretary Vida declared. “This framework will consistently guide our agencies in applying the law’s full intent and spirit.”

Secretary Vida extended commendation to the DOJ team, led by Undersecretary Nicholas Felix L. Ty, the DOJ Legal Staff under Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin Chan, the National Prosecution Service under Prosecutor General Richard Anthony D. Fadullon, and the University of the Philippines Law Center – Institute of Government and Law Reform, headed by Dean Gwen B. Grecia-De Vera, for their profound legal and technical expertise in the IRR’s meticulous drafting and finalization.

“The Department of Justice is unwavering in its commitment to collaborate with the PAOCC, law enforcement, regulatory bodies, and all stakeholders,” Secretary Vida affirmed. “We will fortify inter-agency coordination, bolster enforcement mechanisms, and relentlessly pursue accountability against all who defy Republic Act No. 12312.”

The formalization of the IRR unequivocally broadcasts the government’s unwavering resolve: to safeguard the public, uphold the sanctity of the rule of law, and decisively dismantle the organized criminal enterprises fueled by illegal POGO operations.

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