Nicolas Felix, the Deputy Minister of Justice in the Philippines, stated that the Philippine government is considering taking joint actions with other Southeast Asian countries to address issues related to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos).
At a press conference following the second regional meeting of the Southeast Asian Anti-Trafficking Committee, he was asked if preliminary discussions had been held with neighboring countries about the affiliations of different countries' gaming companies.
He was also asked if the Philippines had similar offshore gaming operations as other countries.
In Filipino, he said, "We are still discussing whether we can undertake joint actions in different places, whether we can share information with other countries, and reach formal and informal agreements."
He emphasized the close relationship between the Philippines and Indonesia.
"We all know how good the relationship between the Philippines and Indonesia is, and how it has facilitated various actions," he added.
"Because of our relationship, some of the masterminds of the illegal online gaming industry, such as Cassandra Ong and Alice Guo, have come to the Philippines to stand trial," Tai said.
In July last year, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced in his State of the Nation Address that all online gaming companies in the country had been officially banned.
He also directed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to gradually shut down and cease the operations of Pogos by the end of 2024.
