“Vigilante neighbours” help Philippines’ authorities find POGO operators hiding in plain site

The Philippines’ war on illegal offshore gambling operations has swept up more suspects in two raids.

Philippines authorities raided two more suspected offshore gaming operations, known as POGOs, the PhilStar Global reported on Thursday (24 October). Eight Chinese and Vietnamese nationals were arrested.

The Philippines Department of Justice (DoJ), Bureau of Immigration (BI) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducted the raids inside an “exclusive” gated community in Muntinlupa City, metro Manila.

Officials found equipment typically used in internet cons, like prepared scripts for scammers and voice-over IPs that make calls untraceable. DoJ spokesman Mico Clavano said the arrestees apparently thought they could hide in plain sight in residential communities.

“From larger POGO or scam hubs, they have reduced their operation to pocket groups in residential areas,” Clavano said. “But thanks to vigilant neighbours, there is no safe place for them any more.”

Another raid on Wednesday, this one in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu, netted more evidence of online scams, reports MSN. The cache included sim cards, cash proceeds, a counting machine, seven safety steel vaults, immigration documents and passports.

War on POGOs “far from over” 

POGOs launched as a regulated industry in 2016, under former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte. Over the years, they became a haven for organised crime and a front for online love and crypto scams. POGOs allegedly dealt in money laundering, human trafficking, prostitution and torture.

In July, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered an immediate ban of the industry. But smaller operations are still being rooted out. Earlier this month, an offshore hub was discovered in Pasay City, in the shadow of the senate building where POGO hearings are being conducted.

In early October, senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the battle against the “deep-rooted social ills caused by POGOs is far from over”. 

The DoJ’s Clavano agreed. “With these raids, the government assures the Filipino people that we will not stop until every scam operator has left our borders.”