‘POGOs go micro, operating underground’

MANILA, Philippines —  Despite the directive of President Marcos for them to cease operations, several Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) appear to be continuing their activities as “micro-units” operating underground, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said.

In an interview yesterday with “Storycon” on One News, PAOCC spokesman Winston Casio said they have monitored a lot of “legal” POGOs that have shifted to underground operations.

“They disintegrated into several micro-units, and now they have multiplied,” he said.

“We’re practically more than a year now (since we started our operations against POGOs)… and we’re nowhere near 50 percent of our target,” he added.

Marcos earlier ordered the closure of all POGOs, including the rebranded internet gaming licensees or IGLs, by the end of the year.

According to Casio, all work visas or employment permits issued to foreigners working in POGOs or IGLs expired last Tuesday.

“There should be no one working in the IGL as of today. What they should be doing is winding down,” he said. “They should be using the 59 days given to them by the Bureau of Immigration to sell whatever properties they have, to buy their tickets (to leave the country) – basically to settle their affairs.”

But based on their monitoring, Casio said many POGOs are still operating.

“This goes to show how big the problem is,” he added, citing recent operations conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“We are currently doing case buildup. In the next few days, we will continue (with our operations) … All POGOs should be closed down,” said the PAOCC official.

Several foreign financiers are also still in the Philippines, said Casio, citing the recent arrest of POGO kingpin Lin Xunhan, alias Lyu Dong, who was arrested in Biñan, Laguna last week.

“We are looking at four who are still here in the Philippines,” said Casio.

Biñan IGL shut down

Authorities have permanently closed down an IGL operation in Biñan City on Tuesday night as part of the government’s continued crackdown on POGOs.

At around 10 p.m., authorities locked down the New Wave Internet Gaming Licensee and its mother company, New Wave Infotech Limited Philippines Inc., that occupies six floors of Southwoods Tower Number 2 in Barangay San Francisco, Biñan.

The operation was led by personnel from the Business Permit and Licensing Office of Biñan City, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and PAOCC.

But upon inspection, authorities discovered that the computers inside New Wave’s office were already disassembled and hard drives were missing, potentially hindering efforts to uncover evidence of illegal activities.

Casio identified the POGO firm as being linked to Lin Xunhan, who was arrested by authorities and tagged as the “godfather” of POGOs in the country.

According to Casio, New Wave Technologies originated from other POGO firms previously raided by authorities.

“Lin Xunhan is the ‘big boss’ of New Wave, which has ties to other POGOs we’ve already shut down,” Casio said.

Chinese nabbed  in Tagaytay

Seventeen Chinese nationals were arrested during an NBI raid at a suspected POGO hub in Tagaytay City, Cavite on Tuesday.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago declined to disclose details about the operation, which occurred at a resort in Barangay Francisco.

A report over ABS-CBN News said the raid was based on a tip that a Chinese national was being tortured in the POGO hub. The victim was rescued in the operation.

The suspects, now under the custody of the NBI cybercrime division, allegedly rented a portion of the resort in December last year.

Meanwhile, police seized computers and other gadgets at a suspected POGO firm in Moalboal, Cebu on Oct. 9 where 38 Chinese nationals were arrested.

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group implemented a search warrant at the hub in Barangay Saavedra at around 5:24 a.m., CIDG director Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco said in a statement.

The police raiding team confiscated 30 computers, 212 cell phones, four laptops, routers, modems, charges, cords, cable wires, landline phones and keyboards. Six vehicles were seized and are undergoing verification.

Porac officials face graft

Local officials of Porac, Pampanga, including Mayor Jaime Capil, are facing a graft complaint before the Department of Justice in connection with the POGO firm Lucky South 99 earlier raided in the municipality allegedly involved in human trafficking, cybercrime and other illegal activities.

The PAOCC and PNP-CIDG filed the complaint on Oct. 16 against Capil, Vice Mayor Francis Laurence Tamayo, councilors Rohner Buan, Rafael Canlapan, Adrian Carreon, Regin Clarete, Essel Joy David, Hilario Dimalanta, Michelle Santos, Hilario Dimalanta, Essel Joy David and John Nuevy Venzon as well as business permit and licensing officer Emerald Vital for violation of Section 3 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

According to San Fernando, Pampanga City Prosecutor Leonardo Santos, the respondents violated Section 3(j) of RA 3019 for granting a business permit to Lucky South 99 from 2021 to 2023 despite defects on its documents and application forms.

Senators Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatchalian yesterday expressed alarm at the proliferation of smaller POGO hubs.

The two senators are leading the year-long investigation into the trafficking of persons forced to do scams in compounds fronting as POGOs, the most prominent of which is the Bamban, Tarlac hub linked to dismissed mayor and accused Chinese spy Alice Guo.

Meanwhile, as former presidential spokesman Harry Roque continues to evade arrest, the PNP is not discounting the possibility that some personalities are coddling him, as there is no record from the Bureau of Immigration that he has left the country.

PNP public information officer Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo has warned Roque’s coddlers to stop protecting the former spokesman of the Duterte administration or face criminal cases.

In another development, the Interagency Council Against Trafficking held its second regional meeting in Southeast Asia, emphasizing the urgent need for collaborative efforts to combat human trafficking across borders. –  Michelle Zoleta, Emmanuel Tupas, Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Christine Boton, Daphne Galvez