MANILA, Philippines — Three Chinese nationals, including one Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations operator, were arrested in a sting this week by the National Bureau of Investigation for using hotel rooms in Pasay to prostitute Chinese women.
The sex ring caters exclusively to Chinese POGO operators, according to a report by The STAR.
A Chinese Pogo operator and two Chinese nationals were arrested by NBI in a sting for renting four hotel rooms in Pasay to prostitute Chinese women. Their syndicate caters exclusively to Chinese Pogo operators. @PhilippineStar pic.twitter.com/fLZ35AmcaO
— Marc Jayson Cayabyab (@mjaysoncayabyab) November 15, 2019
The NBI, which was tipped off by Filipino drivers of POGO operators, raided the casino-hotel in Pasay where the syndicate rented four rooms for prostitution.
A series of alleged Chinese-run prostitution rings fronting as business establishments in Metro Manila were raided in September and October, leading to the rescue of over a hundred sex workers.
The proliferation of Chinese sex rings is correlated to the boom of POGO operators in the Philippines, according to state investigators.
"This is one of the crimes related to POGO. When you bring a lot of them here, these syndicates cater to their needs,” NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines in September urged the government to form a coordinating body for the offshore gaming sector due to worries that more Chinese workers will migrate to the Philippines after nearby Cambodia banned gaming operations and launched a crackdown on online casinos.
The labor alliance said it anticipated thousands of displaced operators and Chinese workers to enter the country.
"While we are assessing the POGO overall social implications and weigh the comprehensive benefits of this online gambling industry in our economy by putting on hold issuance of new operating licenses, (we) would like to propose the creation of a POGO coordinating body that has supervision and control of the industry for the benefit of the country," TUCP President Raymond Mendoza said. — Ratziel San Juan with reports from The STAR/Marc Jayson Cayabyab