Manila, March 8 -- The Philippine government's decision to fully ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) was a "big factor" in the country's removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) gray list, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Saturday.

At the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, DOJ Deputy State Prosecutor Deana Perez said the fact that it was President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. who declared the ban on POGOs made the biggest difference.

"It's a very big factor considering that it started from the top. It's a high-level commitment to restrict illegal gambling and use of casinos in illegal matters," she said.

"Malaking bagay iyon kasi it came from the top, tapos nang nagcascade, maganda ang pag-implement (It was a h...