The Department of Justice stated that there is insufficient evidence to prove that former President Rodrigo Duterte is associated with the country's illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
Deputy Minister of Justice Nicholas Felix Ty indicated that the department's investigation has not found any evidence linking Duterte to individual online gaming companies.
"There is not enough evidence to suggest that President Duterte is involved with illegal POGO operations. Clearly, in terms of POGO, we will combat illegal POGO at the level of each illegal enterprise," Ty stated at a forum organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute.
He said, "At the level of individual online gaming companies, we have not yet seen any evidence linking former President Duterte."
Senator Risa Hontiveros, in the last Senate hearing on POGO operations held in November, listed individuals suspected of exploiting the gaming industry for personal gain.
This includes Michael Yang, who once served as a presidential adviser to the Duterte administration.
When asked if this was sufficient to link Duterte to illegal online gaming companies, Ty said, "At this point, the association is not sufficient to link him... and to proceed with an investigation."
"I think the results of the Senate investigation, in terms of details, are all intelligence. To conduct an investigation, one must go beyond intelligence," he added.
After several online gaming companies were suspected of crimes such as human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and fraud, Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. ordered a ban on all online gaming companies in July.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation earlier expressed optimism that they are likely to achieve this goal by the year-end deadline, stating that by December 15, 2024, the number of POGOs in the Philippines will be "zero."
