Quezon City: The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR) has formed a tracker team dedicated to monitoring Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), which continue their guerilla operations despite the total ban that was supposed to take effect by the start of 2025. In a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Monday, CIDG-NCR chief Police Col. Marlon Quimno said POGOs continue their covert operations with about 15 to 20 employees.
According to Philippines News Agency, one of the challenges identified by Quimno is the shift of POGOs to a 'guerilla mode' of operation. Previously, these operators employed hundreds, sometimes even reaching numbers like 300, 400, or 500. However, current operations have scaled down significantly. Quimno expressed gratitude for the information provided by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), which has been instrumental in arresting around 400 individuals involved in POGO activities.
On February 20, authorities raided a POGO facility in Para±aque City, resulting in the arrest of 453 individuals, including 307 Filipinos and 137 Chinese nationals. Quimno noted that 18 Chinese nationals and two Filipinos have been charged with violating trafficking laws, while the rest are under case buildup. The arrested foreigners are also subject to verification with the Bureau of Immigration.
The building owner, who rented out the facility to POGO operations despite red flags such as a questionable PHP20 million monthly lease payment, may face a human trafficking case. PAOCC spokesperson Director Winston Casio mentioned plans to seek forfeiture of the entire building used by Dan Ying Gaming Corp., which has been operating the POGO for the last two years. The corporation is allegedly owned by a 'well-known' Filipino-Chinese businessman.
Meanwhile, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that the bureau's deportation and implementation unit is collaborating with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to expedite the deportation of foreign nationals involved in POGO operations. Viado emphasized the need to remove these individuals from the country promptly to reduce government detention costs. Required documents for deportation include a valid passport, NBI clearance, and an outbound ticket. Viado underscored the priority of sending these individuals out of the country as quickly as possible.
