Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito ‘Jonvic’ Remulla shut down on Tuesday, Dec. 17, the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) at the previous Island Cove Resort, which was previously owned by his family, in Kawit, Cavite.

Remulla was with other ranking government officials during the closure of the POGO in Kawit, which is considered as a symbol of the government's commitment to shut down all POGOs across the country as ordered by President Marcos.

“As promised, sinabi natin na, (sa) December, pupunta kami rito para makita na sarado na lahat, na susundin ang directives ng president na isasara na lahat ng POGO. As per the LGU (local government unit) administrator, last week ng November, nag-inspect na sila dito and wala nang operations talaga sa loob (As promised, we said that this December, we will go here (Island Cove) to see the all these are closed, that we will follow the President’s directive to shut down all POGO. As per the LGU (local government unit) administrator, in the last week of November, they already inspected the facility and found out that there were really no operations anymore inside),’’ Remulla said.

Since last month, Remulla noted that electricity was cut off in the compound’s buildings, adding that there were no signs of habitation nor “signs of business.’’

Aside from Remulla, present during the closure of POGO hub in Kawit were Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Executive Director Gilbert Cruz, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) chairman Alejandro Tengco and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.

Cruz said that the POGO facility which is situated in the 33-hectare property is the biggest in the country, with 30,000 employees, half of them were Filipinos.

The compound has  57 buildings that house employee dormitories, gaming hubs, cafès, groceries, clinics, restaurants, spas and beauty salons.

Previously owned by Remulla’s family, the compound was sold to the real estate developer in 2017 and was reopened as a POGO compound in 2019.

The DILG chief brushed off claims of his family’s alleged involvement with the POGO hub, saying that neither of his brothers, Jesus Crispin and Gilbert, who are currently Justice Secretary and a Pagcor director, respectively signed any document related to the POGO hub.

Earlier, Remulla assured that the Philippines will be ‘categorically’ Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO)-free in 2025 with all licenses cancelled as ordered by the President.

Remulla said the DILG will issue a directive  requiring local chief executives (LCEs) to report suspicious activities about the potential establishment of POGOs in their areas amid the total ban.

“Malalaman iyan sa spike bigla ng bandwidth use, entry of suspicious people congregating in houses not registered as businesses.  So, they are enjoined to report immediately sa amin para malaman namin at makagawa kami ng aksiyon (We will know this by the sudden spike of the bandwidth use, entry of suspicious people congregating in houses not registered as businesses. So they (LCEs) are enjoined to report immediately for us to know and take appropriate actions),’’ he said.