In a local media interview, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said that he had won the Chinese government’s understanding on Manila’s handling of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) regulation.
“If there is a need to deport, arrest, then they’re keeping their hands away from all these things. [We] have the prerogative to do what [we] want to enforce the law. In fairness to Chinese government, they understand,” said the president.
He noted that this message had been communicated to him by Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian.
However, Duterte also warned that the current size of the POGO industry is about as much as the nation can handle: “If you add more to this number presently operating, you will not be able to police them all. So you have to set a number for that. It cannot be in every town and city about so many POGO games going on.”
On Sunday, the Department of Justice announced that visas-upon-arrivals (VUAs) for Chinese tourists would be limited to 30 days from the previous three months.
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