NBI nabs 79 Chinese in Bulacan factory raid

MANILA, Philippines —  The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) apprehended at least 79 Chinese nationals in a raid on a factory in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan yesterday.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago told The STAR that at least 36 of them were undocumented, while 23 had tourist visas.

Santiago did not disclose other details of the operation.

The 79 Chinese were brought to the NBI headquarters in Quezon City for further investigation.

Over the past months, authorities have stepped up operations against Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) amid reports of their involvement in illegal activities including human trafficking, torture, kidnapping and online scamming.

Last March 13, authorities raided a POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac on complaints of human trafficking. At least 875 people, 504 of them foreigners, were rescued.

The POGO was linked to Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.

Authorities said those rounded up included 432 Chinese, 57 Vietnamese, eight Malaysians,
 three Taiwanese, two Indonesians and two citizens of Rwanda.

According to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), 165 Chinese workers from Zun Yuan Technology Inc. have been deported to Pudong District in Shanghai, China.

On June 5, law enforcers raided the POGO hub of Lucky South 99 Corp. in Porac, Pampanga, where 158 foreigners were rescued including Chinese, Malaysian, Burmese and Vietnamese citizens, some of whom were torture and kidnap victims.

In a follow-up operation on June 27, PAOCC agents raided five villas in Fontana Leisure Parks in Clark, Pampanga, arresting three Chinese nationals believed linked to the Porac POGO.

On July 13, law enforcement agents raided another POGO hub in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro and arrested its owner, a Chinese national named Stefan Cheng.

Armed with a search warrant, authorities swooped down on Puerto Galera Seaview Resort in Barangay Sinandingan where they found around 40 Chinese as well as gambling equipment and paraphernalia.

PCCI supports POGO ban

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) – considered as the country’s largest business organization – added its voice to more groups expressing support for a gradual phaseout of POGOs as a sudden closure may lead to job losses and hurt many businesses.

“We support a tiered phaseout of POGO operations in the country,” PCCI president Enunina Mangio said yesterday.

She said that POGOs, some of which were issued licenses by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), pose immense social threats as they were exploited as breeding grounds for crime, scams and human rights violations.

While the PCCI supports banning POGOs in the country, the group believes this should be done gradually as sudden closure of all POGOs may lead to possible massive loss of jobs and related displacement of many businesses and industries, from food services to administrative support and transport services.

The group also cited the wide-ranging impact of a sudden closure on the commercial property sector as many investors have built office buildings to host POGOs.

In addition, the PCCI is worried about the spillover effects of POGO closures on financial institutions that funded construction of new office buildings, as well as collateral damage for ancillary industries like real estate and communication services.

“We hence enjoin the national government and PAGCOR to carefully manage the POGO phaseout or ban to avoid serious economic displacement,” Mangio said, adding that they are pushing for immediate closure of all POGOs operating illegally and without operating licenses.

In addition, she said the PCCI wants PAGCOR and other government agencies involved in regulating POGOs including the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Immigration to carefully review the mandates from licenses, work licenses and tax obligations of the gaming operators.

She also said that the PAGCOR and other government agencies should provide alternative employment opportunities for those who will be affected by the POGO closures.

Earlier, business groups including the Makati Business Club, Alyansa Agrikultura, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Foundation for Economic Freedom, Institute of Corporate Directors, Justice Reform Initiative, Management Association of the Philippines and the University of the Philippines School of Economics Alumni Association said that they support a total ban on POGOs, citing the minimal contribution to the economy at 0.2 percent, as well as the social costs.

While the business groups are backing the ban on POGOs, they said the government should help ensure displaced individuals will have job opportunities and affected industries will find alternative uses for their assets.

Senators renew calls for POGO ban

Senators yesterday renewed their clamor for a total ban on POGOs after prominent business groups backed calls to put an end to offshore gaming activities.

“Let’s ban POGOs in the country. Give them one to two years to transition, then totally ban them already. It’s time to clamp down and phase it out completely,” said former Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri, as he cited top economic advisers who said POGOs only have a measly contribution to the economy.

Only PAGCOR – tasked to regulate and operate POGOs and other betting platforms – is opposed to a ban which it warned would result in a P20-billion revenue loss for the government.

Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel agreed, as he urged President Marcos to use his upcoming State of the Nation Address to announce the ban, as recommended by his advisers.

“If the President truly listens to the Filipino people, then PBBM should already ban POGOs immediately. No more distinction between legal and illegal,” Pimentel said.

Sen. Joel Villanueva said a POGO ban “would be a great gift from the President if he announces it in his SONA.”

“This has long been our call. I would like to thank the business community, economic managers, and the police for supporting our advocacy to close down POGOs,” Villanueva said, adding that the government can assist the estimated 22,000 Filipinos employed in these offshore gaming hubs who would be displaced by a ban.

Another vocal POGO critic, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, said it is time to ban POGOs because of its economic cost, estimated by the Department of Finance (DOF) at an estimated P99 billion annually.

Meanwhile, Gatchalian expressed fear that Guo could flee the investigation using her Chinese passport.

Guo has both Philippine and Chinese passports, which she could use to go back to her home province in China.

“She has two passports, which she used from 2008 to 2011. She stopped using it after that, but my theory is it is still active. In that event, she can go to China using her Chinese passport,” Gatchalian said in an ambush interview at the Senate yesterday.

But the Bureau of Immigration has assured him that Guo was not recorded flying out of the country, the senator said.

Guo has been placed on the immigration lookout bulletin pending her arrest.

The senator said he has been extra careful going outside after receiving threats to his life due to his role in the Senate probe.

PNP-ACG investigating death threats vs senators

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has started its probe on the alleged P10-million assassination plot against Gatchalian and Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

Col. Jean Fajardo, the PNP’s chief publicist, said the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) is coordinating with the senators to collate more details about the threat, which is suspected to be linked to the Senate’s ongoing probe on illegal POGOs and the involvement of Guo.

“Our ACG is coordinating with our senators about these threats to know and identify where this is coming from,” Fajardo said over dzRH.

Gatchalian earlier asked the Pasay City police station to investigate the alleged plot which was discussed in a 22-minute vlog on YouTube under the name Pinay Insider.

Fajardo assured the legislators they are ready to address Gatchalian’s concerns. “All these intimidation and threats are being taken seriously,” she said.

Apart from the two senators, PAOCC officials have also received threats to their security. The PAOCC has led several raids on suspected illegal POGOs in Metro Manila and Central Luzon.– Louella Desiderio, Emmanuel Tupas, Marc Jayson Cayabyab