Philippine president orders shutdown of Chinese-run online gambling outfits employing thousands.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday ordered an immediate ban on widespread and mostly Chinese-run online gaming operations in the Philippines accusing them of venturing into crimes, including financial scams, human trafficking, torture, kidnappings and murders.

Marcos also said in his state-of-the-nation address that the Philippines would press efforts to strengthen its defensive capability by forging security alliances with friendly countries to counter threats to its territorial interests in the South China Sea, adding that his country would only settle disputes through diplomacy.

He made the remarks on the territorial conflicts before legislators, top officials and diplomats at the House of Representatives after the worst confrontation between Chinese and Filipino forces in the disputed waters last month.

Marcos’ decision to ban the Chinese-run online gambling outfits — estimated to number more than 400 across the Philippines and employing tens of thousands of Chinese and Southeast Asian nationals— came amid an ongoing government crackdown backed by Beijing.

That led to the shutdown of several sprawling complexes with dozens of buildings, where authorities suspect thousands of Chinese, Vietnamese and other nationals mostly from Southeast Asia have been illegally recruited and forced to work in dismal conditions.

Relatedly, Philippine senators have ordered the arrest of a town mayor in Tarlac province north of Manila who has failed to appear in public hearings where allegations against her were being investigated, including her alleged links to a large online gambling outfit near her townhall and suspicions that she hid her Chinese nationality fraudulently to be able to run for a public office reserved only for Filipinos.

The mayor, Alice Guo, has denied any wrongdoing but has been suspended from her post with her financial assets ordered frozen. Philippine senators say the massive online gambling industry has flourished largely due to corruption in regulatory agencies and payoffs to local officials.

“Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into illicit areas furthest from gaming such as financial