Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic C. Remulla assured on Friday the government will continue to hunt down illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) even after the deadline for their closure on Sunday, 15 December.
Remulla said that then in 2025 he would be able to categorically say the Philippines is POGO-free as all licenses would have been canceled in adherence to the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Ganito iyan (It’s like this), two parts iyan: all licenses are canceled — so POGO-free tayo; guerrilla operations will flourish but we will go after them,” he said.
“As per the President’s instructions, we will make it very difficult for them until they say that it is no longer worth operating in the Philippines,” he added.
Remulla said that together with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through the Philippine National Police and local government units will scour suspected areas to put an end to illegal POGOs.
He said the DILG will issue a directive requiring local chief executives to report suspicious activities in their areas that may be POGOs.