Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla on Friday offered a P10-million reward to anyone who can prove his ties with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO). Remulla strongly denied insinuations that he and his family have been “protectors” of the business, which has been linked to several illegal activities in the Philippines.
Several viral social media posts have linked the Remulla family to POGO operations after Island Cove — the clan’s former resort property in Cavite — was sold to a Filipino-Chinese businessman, who then converted it into an alleged POGO hub.
“Ako po ay handang magbigay ng P10 milyon pabuya para sa sino man na magpapatunay na kami ay may kinalalaman sa kasalukuyang operasyon ng isla,” Remulla said in a statement posted on social media.
“…Na ang aking tanggapan ay may proteskyon na ibinibigay sa mga ito kasama ang Kagawaran ng Hustisya, na ako o sino man sa pamilya ko ay may kaukulang lagda para makakuha ng permit para sa operasyon ng POGO Island,” he added.
The opening of the 32-hectare POGO complex in Cavite has sparked concerns about what some called a “creeping” Chinese invasion, as the former leisure destination has allegedly housed between 20,000 and 50,000 Chinese workers.
In 2018, the Remulla family declined to give details of the island’s sale, but in his recent social media post, the Cavite Governor said that their family paid P400 million in capital gains tax after selling the property.
“Matagal na pong wala sa amin ang pag-aari ng dating Island Cove,” he said.
“1970 po noong nabili ng aking yumaong ama na si Atty. Johnny Remulla ang isla na matatagpuan sa Kawit, Cavite. Taong 1976 noong binuksan ito bilang Covelandia 3. Nagsara ito noong 1985 at muling binuksan noong 1998,” he said.
“Ito po ay binenta ng aming pamilya taong 2018.”
Former Rep. Gilbert Remulla — the governor’s brother — was named as director of the Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) in 2022.
“Ang permits ng POGO ay ibinigay ng dating PAGCOR noong 2020. Wala po siyang kinalalaman sa permit nito,” the governor said.
“Ang Remulla Family ay hindi sangkot sa ano mang pasugalan o illegal na aktibidad,” he said.
In 2022, Justice Sec. Jesus Crispin Remulla — another Remulla sibling — ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to stop operations against POGOs after receiving reports of “huli-dap” or arrest and extortion activities.
“They kidnap each other. In the end, they will sue each other at the DOJ and in the end, they’ll just settle with each other. So we are just wasting our time. Na-iinvolve lang kami sa mga intramurals na nangyayari sa kanila so we have to stop it,” Sec. Remulla had said in previous interviews.
“We will only act if there is really a police matter that is necessary for us to police or for the NBI to work on pero wag na muna kasi nakakasama,” he added.
Despite these, the Cavite governor maintained that the Remulla family is not a protector of POGOs.
“Hindi din po kami protector ng kahit sinong dayuhan, lalong lalo na mula sa China,” he said.