Muntinlupa city: The Philippine National Police (PNP) has initiated a follow-up operation to track down and apprehend the masterminds and financiers of a recently uncovered underground scam hub in Muntinlupa City. Authorities are working to dismantle the network suspected of operating this illegal enterprise.
According to Philippines News Agency, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has mandated a thorough investigation to identify those funding and directing the operation. He emphasized that police efforts will persist beyond the arrests made during the initial raid. Gen. Nartatez stated, "This successful operation proves that our monitoring and aggressive action are continuously being sustained against this kind of illegal activity. And we in the PNP will keep it that way until we fully accomplish our mission."
The enforcement action was triggered by the arrest of an alleged manager of a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) in a police operation in Muntinlupa City on June 15. This arrest led authorities to the suspected scam hub. Police officials revealed that the facility was managing several websites and could be part of a larger network that continued to operate despite the government's prohibition on POGOs.
Gen. Nartatez mentioned that their personnel are actively pursuing these scam hubs, which have evolved into guerrilla-style operations following the total ban on POGOs. Investigators are tracing the group's command structure, financial supporters, and digital footprint after confiscating computers, laptops, mobile phones, flash drives, and other electronic devices during the raid.
The seized equipment is currently undergoing forensic examination to determine the scope of the operation, identify potential accomplices, and uncover links to other illegal activities. Gen. Nartatez stated that the PNP is closely coordinating with other government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to bolster intelligence-driven operations against similar scam hubs nationwide.
The police force is also collaborating with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to identify remaining illegal operations and assess whether they are connected to other locations. Gen. Nartatez stressed the importance of public information in locating and dismantling clandestine syndicates, affirming, "The PNP will continue to work with LGUs in acting on intelligence information that will help dismantle these clandestine networks across the country."
