Manila: A group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives has taken a significant step toward curbing illegal activities associated with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) by filing a bill that authorizes the government to seize illegally acquired real estate properties owned by foreign nationals. This legislative move, introduced by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David Suarez, and House Quad Committee chairs Robert Ace Barbers, Dan Fernandez, Bienvenido Abante Jr., and Joseph Stephen Paduano, aims to address the threat posed by illegal POGOs and associated criminal activities such as human trafficking and drug smuggling. According to Philippines News Agency, the proposed legislation, known as House Bill 11043 or the Civil Forfeiture Act, seeks to enhance the constitutional prohibition on foreign land ownership in the Philippines. It targets foreign nationals who exploit legal loopholes and use falsified documentation to acquire land illegally, thus violating the Phil ippine Constitution, which limits private land ownership to Filipino citizens or corporations with at least 60 percent Filipino ownership, with few exceptions. The bill's explanatory note highlights that the continued breach of constitutional provisions regarding alien land ownership is intolerable. Congressional investigations have revealed instances where foreign nationals have obtained fake birth certificates, passports, and other official documents to purchase land illegally. In response, last month, the House Quad Committee submitted crucial documents to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to initiate potential legal actions against Chinese nationals accused of using fake Filipino citizenship to acquire land and establish businesses in the country. The bill further stipulates that any land transferred to an unqualified foreign national would be declared null and void, with forfeiture proceedings to be initiated by the OSG and supported by the Department of Justice. It assumes that all real estate properties owned by foreign nationals are unlawfully acquired unless proven otherwise. Under the measure, forfeited properties would be repurposed for public use. Agricultural land would be redistributed to eligible farmers through the Department of Agrarian Reform, while non-agricultural land could be allocated for schools, hospitals, or transferred to local governments for social services. The bill also emphasizes improving monitoring and enforcement by involving local government units and the Land Registration Authority. The lawmakers underscored the importance of enhancing existing foreign land ownership policies and reallocating forfeited properties for public benefit to combat corrupt practices. They stated in the bill's explanatory note that it is imperative to prevent such activities from continuing in the Philippines. Source: Philippines News Agency