Marcos orders gov't agencies to go after illegal POGOs who defy ban
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President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has issued a directive to government authorities to run after illegal operators of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO).
This came as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) announced the revocation of all POGO and Internet Gaming License (IGL) in the country by 15 December.
During the 2nd Joint National Peace and Order Council (NPOC)-Regional Peace and Order Councils (RPOCs) meeting for 2024 in Camp Crame in Quezon City, Marcos tasked the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to intensify their operations against POGOs that are still operating despite the ban.
He also urged local chief executives to coordinate with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in monitoring and shutting down of illegal POGO operations in their localities.
"Local government units have the capability to determine suspicious illegal activities in their communities, especially those concerning POGOs," he said.
On Wednesday, PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco said that licensees have been complying with Philippine authorities with some voluntarily requesting to cancel their PAGCOR licenses.
As of 29 November, PAGCOR has cancelled 53,700 offshore gaming employment licenses with 18 IGLs voluntarily cancelling their licenses and 27 IGLs in the process of winding down their operations.
Marcos, in his third State of the Nation Address, banned all POGO operations in the Philippines and set a deadline of 31 December.
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