The newly appointed Minister of the Interior, Jonvic Remulla, recently declared his commitment to strictly implement President Marcos Jr.'s directive to ban all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) nationwide, promising to completely shut down these online gambling operations by December this year.
In an interview with the media, Remulla explicitly stated that he would personally inspect and close every online gambling venue in the country, starting with Island Cove (commonly known as "Gambling Island") located in Cavite. Island Cove was once a vacation property owned by the Remulla family, but he clarified that the property had been sold in 2018 and no longer belongs to the family.
Speaking in Pasay City, he said: "This will be the first online gambling facility I personally shut down. To demonstrate my determination, I will start with my own province of Cavite, ensuring its complete closure."
In response to external doubts about his and his family's relationship with online gambling, Remulla firmly denied again and offered a reward of 10 million pesos to anyone who can provide evidence proving their involvement with Gambling Island. He emphasized that the property had already changed hands and is unrelated to his family.
Remulla officially took his oath as Minister of the Interior yesterday. He explained that he originally planned to run for governor of Cavite, but could not refuse the presidential invitation to this appointment. He stated, "When the president makes a request, you cannot refuse; you must take responsibility."
As an official with nearly thirty years of experience in local government, Remulla mentioned that he has observed the performance of various officials and police, recognizes the need for reform, and is prepared to promote measures to clean up and optimize government operations.
