MANILA: State lawyers are set to conduct a detailed inventory of the assets belonging to shuttered Philippine overseas gaming operators (POGOs) after the industry ban deadline instituted by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expired at the end of 2024, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) announced on Wednesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra outlined the OSG’s extensive post-POGO responsibilities, which include the cancellation of fraudulently obtained birth certificates by foreign nationals and the forfeiture of their illegally acquired real estate and other assets within the Philippines. Guevarra stated that the scale of the assets’ value, potentially encompassing significant areas of real estate outside the capital, has yet to be determined. “At this time, we have no definite figures on the aggregate value of these assets. The first order of the day is to take possession of and control over them,” he said.

Investigations by Congress have uncovered that some Chinese nationals utilized fake birth certificates to obtain Filipino citizenship, allowing them to establish corporations and acquire properties for illegal operations, including drug trafficking. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin previously mentioned that the government is making concerted efforts to expedite the process of securing the seized POGO properties and assets. He emphasized that although laws regarding property forfeiture exist, the procedure remains “very slow.”

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives are considering legislation that would authorize the government to confiscate all POGO assets. The proposed law would enable the government to assume control over buildings, materials, equipment, and proceeds from illegal POGO activities.