President Bongbong Marcos in his speech during the tree-planting activity on the occasion of his 65th birthday in Rizal. Screengrab from RTVM video / Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to decide on the fate of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in the wake of kidnappings and other crimes related to the Chinese-run online gambling activities, his sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, said on Sunday.
The senator said the issues concerning POGOs were a “hot topic” when the president celebrated his 65th birthday in Malacañang last week.
“I told him that since the authorities cannot [prevent the crimes caused by POGOs], it’s better to shut them down,” Marcos said in a radio interview.
Asked how the president responded to her suggestion, she said: “It seems like he has not made up his mind on this.”
Calls to pull the plug on POGOs, which proliferated during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, snowballed amid the recent spate of abductions that victimized mostly Chinese nationals.
Last week, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos disclosed that many of the kidnappings being investigated by the Philippine National Police involved foreign nationals manning POGOs.
—MARLON RRAMOS
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