Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ended his over 80-minute State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, with a major announcement. He declared a complete ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators. During his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, Marcos acknowledged that POGOs have been involved in serious crimes such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, and even murder.
He stated that the abuse and disrespect towards the system must stop. Marcos said it is imperative to end the chaos caused by POGOs and to stop their impact on society. He declared that all POGOs are banned effective immediately. His announcement led to cheers from the crowd at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City. The speech received 125 rounds of applause and two standing ovations.
Therefore, the order responds to calls from various groups to end POGO operations. These operations have been involved in scandals such as money laundering, immigration bribery, illegal recruitment, and human trafficking. The decision also follows a months-long Senate investigation into offshore gambling activities. This probe brought Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, who has been linked to POGOs in her area, into the national spotlight. However, it remains to be seen how this order affects the gaming operators and the users.
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