38 chinese ‘caught’ at a resort: POGO activity in Moalboal?

CEBU, Philippines — Just a month after being recognized by a luxury and lifestyle magazine as having one of Southeast Asia’s best beaches, Moalboal, Cebu is back in the spotlight, this time for being suspected of having a Philippine Offshore Gaming operations (POGO)-like activity in one of the vacation rental properties in Brgy. Saavedra.

This was after at least 38 undocumented foreigners believed to be all Chinese nationals were arrested and numerous computers and gadgets were seized from an isolated resort villa in Saavedra the other day.

“Right now, what we can say is they don't have documents. So, because kining ingon nga mga situation we need to coordinate with BI kay sila man maoy authority on the matter, among gi-coordinate na karon sa Bureau of Immigration to determine what are the possible violations of these foreigners, if they have violated anything,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare of Police Regional Office (PRO)- 7.

“Para ma-forward pud sa ila (Bureau of Immigration) because they are the authority on the matter,” he added.

In a separate interview, P/Captain Brigido Paca, Moalboal Police Station chief, said they learned from the caretaker of the rental property that it was booked last Sept. 24 by three individuals, but visitors arrived only last Sept. 28.

He said the foreigners said they were just in Moalboal for a vacation and were just doing online business.

High-speed internet connection

Moalboal Mayor Inocentes Cabaron, on the other hand, said they checked the area after receiving a report that someone from the vacation rental property applied for a high-speed internet connection, which he knew is a requirement for POGO activities.

He said that based on the property’s business permit, it only offers accommodation and swimming pool rental.

“Naay naghatag namo’g info nga kaning Happy Bear, nag-request ni sila og high speed wifi…. Usa na sa requirements nga mag-establish og POGO activities bitaw, kay na-discuss ni namo sa akong chief of police gipa-locate namo ang Happy Bear,” Cabaron said.

After receiving the information, he immediately called a meeting with concerned departments and agencies, barangay officials, and the police. He had earlier issued a memorandum regarding the strict monitoring of any POGO-like activities in the town.

Following that meeting, the town’s Office of Building Official, the Municipal Peace and Order Council, Moalboal police, and the Bureau of Fire Protection then checked the area in the guise of conducting a fire safety inspection.

“What happened in Moalboal is that kagahapon, October 9, 2024 at around 4 p.m., nag-conduct og joint inspection…. This is a usual routine inspection pursuant to the powers of an LGU (local government unit),” Pelare said.

“During the inspection, naay…na-discover nga 38 ka undocumented foreigners. According to initial reports, they are Chinese nationals. Dihay nakita ang atong joint team nga mga sets of computers. According to initial inventory, naay 34 computer sets nga nakuha, naa say laptops…numerous cellphones, murag more than 200 cellphones,” he added.

After the inspection, PRO-7’s composite team coordinated with the BI, Department of Justice, Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit of the Philippine National Police, and Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit-7.

“They are all now conducting an extensive investigation para atong makita unsay possible volations nga na-commit aning nag-organize or nag-rent. Because ang atong naobserbaran kining ilang gi-stay-han is a resort. It’s an isolated resort in Barangay Saavedra, Moalboal,” Pelare said.

Cabaron admitted to the possibility that tourism areas are where POGO operations, which are now illegal in the country, are secretly operating.

“Kadto bitaw sa Mactan, tourist destination man to, tourist area. Tingali pang-cover up nila nga mura’g turista sila kaning mga Insik. Maong adto ni sila motago sa mga tourist destination area,” the mayor said.

He was referring to a resort in Brgy. Agus, Lapu-Lapu City that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raided last Aug. 31 that resulted to the discovery of Indonesians, Chinese, and Burmese nationals working in a suspected POGO hub.

In that raid, authorities were able to rescue 169 foreign nationals and arrested 16 Chinese nationals, including Zhao Shou Qi or "Lao Fan,” who is said to be the owner, and one Filipino.

All the 17 arrested persons are facing seven counts of qualified trafficking in persons and await arraignment on the charges lodged against them.

“Mao na nga we should be vigilant, dili ingon nga ma-alarm” Cabaron said.

POGO activity in Cebu City?

Meanwhile, in Cebu City, Mayor Raymond Garcia said he is discounting the possibility that there is also POGO activity in the city, but most likely, “underground.”

He, however, assured that they continue to closely monitor such activity, if there is any.

“Pirmi, kada adlaw gyud ko ga-monitor anang POGO operations here in the city of Cebu… In fact, I always get a text message from Terrence Saavedra sa atong Business Permit and Licensing Office, unya everyday also, (Cebu City Police Office Director) Col. (Antonietto Can?ete is also updating me,” Garcia said.

“We are not letting out guard down. Nagsige ta’g tan-aw ug inspect sa kanang gidudahan nato,” he added.

He said that during the monitoring there are moments when people would confirm there used to be a POGO operation in a certain location but it already ceased months back following the declaration of the president.

“POGO gani karon has already becoming illegal. So, moingon ka’g illegal, underground nana sila…. So, if there are illegal activities like POGO, I will not discount the possibility nga naa na sa Cebu City. Pero one thing I can say is we are closely monitoring the situation and sige mi’g pangita og naa ba gyud diri,” Garcia said.

Garcia also said that they are also closely coordinating with NBI.

In a separate interview, NBI-7 Director Rennan Augustus Oliva said their assistance was not yet sought, so far, on the Moalboal incident.

“Of course, if they are going to ask for our assistance, we would be glad to help in the investigation,” he said.

Before his resignation, then Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos told The Freeman, in an exclusive interview, that government agencies have expanded the surveillance, monitoring and investigation of possible POGO operations in the entire Cebu province and not just in Lapu-Lapu City.

After the DILG turnover, newly-appointed Secretary Jonvic Remulla also vowed to shut down all POGOs by the end of 2024, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol, Rowena Capistrano and Decemay Padilla /RHM (FREEMAN)