A governor in the Philippines is denying he has ties to a POGO operation and is offering a PHP10 million ($170,000) reward to anyone who can prove otherwise.
Several social media posts implicated Jonvic Remulla, Governor of Cavite, a province southwest of Manila, and his family in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) operations on Island Cove, a resort property previously owned by the family. Often referred to as POGO Island, the property was sold to a Filipino-Chinese businessman who allegedly converted it into the POGO hub it is today.
“I am willing to offer a P10-million reward to anyone who can prove that we are involved in the current operations of the island,” Remulla stated in a social media post.
He further clarified, “Neither my office nor any member of my family has signed any permit for the operation of POGO Island or provided protection to it, in collaboration with the Department of Justice.”
The transformation of the 32 hectare Island Cove into a POGO complex has raised concerns, with some describing it as a “creeping” Chinese invasion, housing an estimated 20,000 to 50,000 Chinese workers.
In 2018, the Remulla family declined to provide details about the sale of the island, but in his recent statement, the Governor revealed that the family paid PHP400 million ($6.8 million) in capital gains tax following the transaction.
“We no longer own Island Cove,” he said. “My late father, Attorney Johnny Remulla, bought the island in 1970. It was opened as Covelandia 3 in 1976, closed in 1985, and reopened in 1998. Our family sold it in 2018.”
Former Rep. Gilbert Remulla, the governor’s brother, was appointed as a director of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) in 2022. Governor Remulla clarified, “POGO permits were issued by PAGCOR in 2020, and he had no involvement in their issuance.”
“The Remulla family is not involved in any gambling or illegal activities,” he asserted.
