MANILA, Philippines — The government’s crackdown on gambling entities linked to various unlawful activities and scams, or Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), has significantly reduced cybercrime cases, President Marcos said.
In a report released after his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos noted that the number of reported cybercrime incidents dropped from 21,300 in 2023 to 14,529 in 2024.
From January to May 2025, 4,604 cybercrime cases were recorded. From July 2022 to May 2025, authorities arrested 2,469 cybercriminals and assisted 4,362 cybercrime victims.
He added that the Philippine National Police (PNP) resolved 39,416 out of 48,670 cybercrime complaints within the same period. The administration, through the National Cybersecurity Inter-Agency Committee, implemented policies that helped law enforcement apprehend cybercriminals and assist victims.
“These POGOs exploited the Filipinos’ skill and work ethic to profit from criminal activities. There is no place in the country for these perpetrators, and they will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Erwin Tulfo yesterday said he would convene a Senate hearing on online gambling as early as next week, after several senators expressed disappointment over the absence of a clear executive directive during President Marcos’ SONA.
Tulfo said that in the absence of a law or an executive order from the President, the Senate should at least express its position.
Tulfo said the hearing will call on PAGCOR to detail existing policies and possible frameworks for stricter regulation. He also wants the DOF to weigh in on the potential revenue loss if online gambling is curtailed.
Lawmakers earlier said that while the President failed to mention the issue, the Senate would take matters into its own hands now that the 20th Congress has been convened.
Senate President Francis Escudero yesterday said the government needs to ensure proper enforcement mechanisms in case online gambling is banned to prevent the industry from merely thriving underground, citing as an example the apparent persistence of illegal e-sabong even within Congress.
In an interview with ANC, Escudero said he supports calls to prohibit online gambling, but warned of the difficulty in curbing illicit activity.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the Marcos administration’s anti-drug campaign has successfully curbed the illegal drug supply without resorting to killings, marking a clear break from the practices of the previous administration.
Speaking at a post-SONA forum, Remulla said institutional reforms have dismantled what he described as a culture of corruption in law enforcement, including a “reward system” that encouraged police officers to stockpile seized narcotics for personal gain.
“When I first assumed office, we went after police officers who were warehousing drugs. In ‘Operation Mayo’ alone, we jailed 50 officers. They were all holdovers from 2016 to 2022 who practiced this system,” Remulla said. – Neil Jayson Servallos, Mark Ernest Villeza