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MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not mince his words in criticizing his predecessor’s administration when he boasted that none of his senatorial candidates supported China’s incursions into Philippine territory or had any role in the proliferation of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
READ PART 1: Marcos' bets not involved in 'tokhang,' Quiboloy, corruption? A review of track records
“None of them applaud China and enjoy when we are bombed by water, when our Coast Guard is hit, when our fisherfolk get blocked and their haul stolen, and more than that, when our islands are stolen to become a part of their country,” Marcos said in Filipino at the launch of the "Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas" slate in his bailiwick on Wednesday, January 12.
“No one supports crime hubs, the center of violating women which is the POGO,” he added.
Marcos also said none of his bets was involved in the violent drug war, nor were they involved in corruption.
POGOs grew in number during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration when Republic Act 11590, commonly known as the POGO Tax law, was enacted. The law established a taxation system and regulatory framework for offshore gaming hubs, effectively codifying the term "POGOs" into law.
While lawmakers at the time could not have foreseen POGOs becoming criminal hubs, what have Marcos’ candidates said and done since their rise—and eventual ban?
Meanwhile, the West Philippine Sea remains a potential flashpoint for conflict. Many leaders insist the country must stand firm against China’s incursions, but do all of Marcos’ candidates share this stance?
Benjamin Abalos, former DILG chief
POGOs. Abalos served as Marcos’ DILG chief during the height of the Alice Guo-POGO controversy. He played a role in securing Guo’s return to the Philippines after she fled to Indonesia, but the move also drew criticism. A photo of Guo, Abalos, and Philippine National Police Chief General Rommel Marbil smiling together in Indonesia went viral, prompting backlash from netizens.
West Philippine Sea. Abalos was part of Marcos’ cabinet from the get-go, and his stances have often mirrored that of Marcos: that the Philippines must uphold its sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea. While DILG chief, Abalos rallied support from local government units for the country’s claims over the waterways, with the agency even holding a summit for the West Philippine Sea in 2023.
Abby Binay, incumbent Makati mayor
POGOs. Binay was a local executive during the height of the POGO boom, with many offshore gaming hubs operating in Makati. Under her watch, the city banned POGOs in 2019—five years before Marcos declared a nationwide ban in his third State of the Nation Address. She cited concerns over rising crime linked to POGO dens and the surge in real estate prices driven by foreign workers, mostly Chinese.
West Philippine Sea. With most of her career focused on local governance, Binay has largely refrained from commenting on the West Philippine Sea and the country’s relations with China.
Pia Cayetano, incumbent senator
POGOs. Cayetano played a direct role in shaping offshore gaming regulations, having authored the law that taxed legal POGOs.
"I'd rather tax the POGOs than see a proliferation of gambling in the country, which sadly seems to be the direction that our colleagues in the House are taking with the recent passage of a bill allowing online gambling," Cayetano said in 2021.
While the full extent of POGO-related crimes was not yet apparent, concerns had already been raised at the time, with police conducting raids on gambling hubs as early as 2019 (see Binay’s example).
Years later—after the fallout from the Bamban mayor scandal—Cayetano praised the Office of the Solicitor General for canceling fraudulent Philippine birth certificates, an issue uncovered during the POGO crackdown. In 2024, she also signed the committee report supporting a nationwide POGO ban.
West Philippine Sea. Cayetano expressed support for the landmark Philippine Maritime Zones Act, which defined the country’s maritime delineations. She said she backed the bill and raised questions about it off the record to save time.
Lito Lapid, incumbent senator
POGOs. Lapid has disavowed any ties to POGOs. The reelectionist faced accusations of involvement, which he denied, even vowing to resign as senator if proven otherwise. A native of Porac, Pampanga, he called for an investigation into a raided POGO hub in his hometown in 2024.
West Philippine Sea. In 2021, under Duterte’s administration, Lapid was one of 11 senators who condemned China’s incursions into the West Philippine Sea through a Senate resolution.
“The Senate of the Philippines condemns in the strongest possible terms the illegal activities of the People's Republic of China in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines and other parts of the West Philippine Sea,” Senate Resolution 708 stated.
Panfilo Lacson, former senator
POGOs. In a DZRH interview on July 2, 2024, Lacson said he was not present to vote on the POGO tax law. He clarified, however, that supporting the measure was not the same as legalizing POGOs, as legislation was not required to regulate them. The former senator acknowledged both the pros and cons of POGOs, noting their contributions to PAGCOR, PCSO and the Presidential Social Fund.
Later that year, during the Senate probe into Alice Guo and POGOs, Lacson—a former police chief—expressed concern that a police official could be involved in offshore gaming operations.
West Philippine Sea. In 2021, Lacson was vocal about asserting the Philippines’ rights over the West Philippine Sea.
“We should be more assertive. Were we not too accommodating before? We are already being bullied because we don't do too much," he said in a CNN Philippines interview.
Following the weakening of rebel fronts in 2022, he also supported the shift of the country's security resources from internal to external threats, particularly in the West Philippine Sea.
Erwin Tulfo, incumbent ACT-CIS Party-list representative
POGOs. Amid rising concerns over POGO-related crimes, Tulfo called for an investigation into the proliferation of easily acquired retiree and investor visas, most of which were issued to Chinese nationals.
West Philippine Sea. In 2024, Tulfo filed a resolution urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to push for a United Nations General Assembly resolution compelling China to halt its incursions into the West Philippine Sea.
During the administration slate’s campaign kickoff, he also declared that the West Philippine Sea was worth dying for.
“Thousands of Katipuneros died defending this country. Why shouldn’t we?” Tulfo said.
Imee Marcos, incumbent senator
POGOs. Imee, the president’s sister, co-authored the POGO Tax Law. In a 2021 statement, Imee said the bill aimed to recover the “lost potential tax revenues” from POGOs.
Criticisms of POGOs and concerns about their potential contributions to crime were already widespread at the time. In 2024, Imee expressed support for banning POGOs and, like Cayetano, signed the committee report backing a law to do so.
West Philippine Sea. Imee has been vocal about the tensions in the West Philippine Sea. In 2019, however, she controversially stated that it was the Philippines that "picked a fight" with China over the waters.
“I do [trust China] and that is because they never invaded Philippine shores. Of course, this will be controversial and a lot of people will be annoyed at me. We started the trouble. Why did we have to get the world court involved?” Imee said in a mix of English and Filipino during an interview with CNN Philippines.
Imee appeared to soften her stance later, expressing that the Philippines should be a friend to all.
Manny Pacquiao, former senator and boxing legend
POGOs. Pacquiao interpellated Cayetano during the deliberations of the POGO Tax Bill and later voted in favor of the measure.
West Philippine Sea. Pacquiao has openly rejected China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, asserting that “the Philippines will not stand down to China's bullying.”
While campaigning for president in the 2022 elections, Pacquiao promised to create a peace panel dedicated to resolving the disputes in the West Philippine Sea.
Francis Tolentino, incumbent senator
POGOs. Tolentino was one of the senators who investigated the Alice Guo-POGO issue in 2024. He offered insights into jurisdiction in her case following a series of arrest warrants for the former mayor. He also signed the committee report supporting a proposed law to ban POGOs entirely in the Philippines.
West Philippine Sea. Tolentino authored the landmark Philippine Maritime Zones Act, which provided a legal basis for the Philippines' claim over the West Philippine Sea. He also authored the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Law, which outlines the routes foreign vessels and aircrafts can take.
In 2024, Tolentino left former president Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido ng Demokratiko Pilipino, citing differing views on the West Philippine Sea.
Vicente Sotto III, former Senate president
POGOs. Sotto voted in favor of the POGO Tax Law. However, he insisted that taxing POGOs did not legalize them, echoing Lacson’s earlier point.
“We did not legalize it. We merely taxed it,” Sotto said in a 2024 interview.
Sotto said that it was then-president Duterte’s prerogative to ban them.
West Philippine Sea. In 2019, following Duterte’s comments that Chinese fisherfolk should be allowed in Philippine waters, Sotto said it would be difficult to determine the origin of the fish.
"The fish could be coming from China and the fish from the Philippines could be going to China," Sotto said in a television interview.
Sotto later said it was a "tongue in cheek" remark. He also recently expressed support for joint ventures with China over the West Philippine Sea.
Bong Revilla, incumbent senator
POGOs. Revilla voted in favor of POGOs during the previous administration. However, he later seemed to change his stance following the controversies surrounding the offshore gaming hubs.
"We leave the future of these POGOs to the full discretion of the President and the Executive. They are in the best position to weigh the pros and cons of shutting down this industry. But based on the recent findings and revelations, the obvious conclusion is that the country will be better off without them,” Revilla said in 2024.
West Philippine Sea. Even during the China-friendly Duterte administration, Revilla consistently spoke in favor of asserting the country’s rights over the West Philippine Sea. He was one of the 11 lawmakers who signed a 2021 Senate resolution condemning China’s incursions.
“China's bullying only promotes discord and instability, which does not bode well for regional peace and harmony. We have long advocated for coexistence built on respect and amity,” Revilla said in 2023, following another incident where the Chinese Coast Guard bombarded a Philippine vessel with water.
Camille Villar, Las Piñas representative
POGOs. During her time as a lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Villar did not cast her vote for the POGO Tax measure. She appears to have refrained from speaking on the matter.
West Philippine Sea. As a local lawmaker, Villar has again seemed to refrain speaking about the West Philippine Sea.
