Rescued foreigners undergo inquest proceedings

CEBU, Philippines — The 169 foreign nationals “rescued” in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) raid in Lapu-Lapu City last August 31, 2024 undergone inquest proceedings yesterday.

This, as Mandaue City Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) Chief August Lizer Malate yesterday said they would not be surprised if there are POGO hubs in the city, given its proximity to Lapu-Lapu City.

“Kana lang we will not be surprised noh kung basin naa na diri nagtago-tago pod kay tapad ra baya ang Lapu-Lapu sa Mandaue, unya Cebu (City) tapad ra pod ta,” he said.

Malate, however, said that BPLO is conducting joint operations together with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in visiting identified areas which are suspected POGO hubs in the city.

“On our part, mao to nag-joint inspection mi with DILG, niadto mi sa mga identified (areas),” he said.

The BPLO chief also said that it seemed like suspected POGO hubs are located in private areas or private avenues, which made them difficult to inspect and enter.

“Pero dili lang gyud mi basta-basta kasulod labi na kung private unya kung unverified pod ang report. There is what we you call the right to privacy baya maong kamao sad ning mga (operators),” said Malate.

He said they are currently disseminating notices to accommodations, hotels, and for rent businesses, telling the respective managements to inform the city if they observe suspicious activities in their facilities.

According to a Bureau of Immigration (BI) official who requested not to be named, the foreign nationals will be turned over to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission for physical custody either last night or this morning.

The official said that the BI have done its inquest proceeding among the 169 foreign nationals but the National Bureau of Investigation-7 is still conducting the inquest proceedings as of 9 p.m. last night.

“I decide pa na asa ani nila ang dad-on ug asa ani nila ang ibilin diri sa Cebu. Pero more or less, mga 150 kabuok tingali ana nila ang dad-on sa Manila kay kasagaran walay mga passport kay usually gud ana naa na sa ilang mga handler ang ilang mga passport,” said the official.

The BI, which is the lead agency, is set to file a case of violation of immigrations law, such overstaying and for being an undocumented alien and working without a valid permit.

On September 2, 2024, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan has ordered the closure of the entire Tourist Garden Hotel compound following a joint operation last Saturday that resulted to the rescue of the foreign nationals.

"As the mayor of Lapu-Lapu City, I will not tolerate any illegal activities in the city, or else I will be your number one enemy," Chan said, in a press conference.

“Everyone is welcome in Lapu-Lapu City to invest and do business, as long as it is legal. But if it is illegal, there is no space for such activities in Lapu-Lapu City,” Mayor Chan said.

POGO, have been declared illegal in the country.

Meanwhile

Citing what happened in a resort in Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City, Malate likewise encourage the residents, business sectors, and business operators in the city to coordinate with them to report such activities in their area.

“Katong bayang didto sa kuan (Lapu-Lapu City) accommodation baya to, so they were aware di ba? So mao na karon, kita karon nagpahibalo na ta sa atong mga businesses nga nag-operate nga you should report, or at the very least not to allow these kinds of operation,” said Malate.

“Kay masakpan na diri mao na sila, the hand of the law will not be kumbaga dili na maluoy sa ilaha because this has been an issue for a very long time now… If nag-allow na sila mutabang gyud ta sa atoang mga law enforcement to ensure nga magukod gyud kung kinsa na sila nagtago-tago ana nila,” he said.

On the other hand, Malate said that the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) is conducting "welfare checks” of business operators and business establishments in the city.

He said that this is to ensure that they are operating with proper working permits, valid documents, as well as their passports.

He said what the city can do is to regulate the businesses in the city.

“On our side, what we can do is to make sure lang all the possible nga kani ganing pag monitor, pagpahibalo, pag-inspect, pag-regulate ato ng buhaton,” said Malate.

He said they could not confirm anything yet with regards to POGO hubs operating in the city, as it takes time to conduct surveillance and monitor these activities.

“Again, we are not claiming nga wala, we are not claiming pod nga naa, because wa man ta kabalo gyud ani,” said Malate.

On the other hand, he said there were POGO operations in the city prior to the announcement of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ban it in the country.

Malate said that the POGO operations in City Time Square Mandaue already stopped its operations since December last year. While the other “inactive” POGO was located on A.S Fortuna St. but its permit was cancelled already.

On the other hand, Acting Mandaue City Mayor Glenn Bercede told reporters that in 2019, someone attempted to apply for a permit to operate POGO in the city but has been denied.

“Usa ra to pero wa na gyud, pagtan-aw namo deny dayon,” said Bercede.

“Ang naa nato diri e-games, kanag bingo, kanang ingon ana ra gud,” he added.

“Naa may gaming, e-gaming, bingo, but these are not POGO. Ang scamming nga aspect gyud ang atong ginadili na gibuhat katong love scam, crypto, bitcoin that costs dollars kumbaga,” said Malate.— (FREEMAN)