MANILA – The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) disowned an anti-POGO police operation at the Century Peak Tower in Ermita, Manila on October 29, saying it was “flawed” because foreign suspects were reportedly released.
The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) spearheaded the operation at the 40-story Century Peak Tower, where employees of previously shuttered Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs reportedly worked.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna “was informed of the raid as the operations got underway” but the PAOCC said it was not consulted.
“The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission was not part of the raid that was spearheaded by the PNP NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) and the PNP ACG. We were never consulted nor informed regarding this operation. We never release any foreign nationals caught in POGOs,” read the PAOCC statement issued early Saturday.
“Please do not associate PAOCC with flawed operations.”
The PAOCC noted that all its operations are properly coordinated with the Department of Justice’s Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (DOJ-IACAT) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
“Moreover, we never said that the said raided POGO is the mother of all POGOs. As aforementioned that we had nothing to do with this operation, thus we will not release any statement regarding its investigation,” it said.
The Century Peak Tower raid was conducted two days before the PAOCC, led by Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, and the PNP Special Action Force and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group raided the Central One Bataan PH, Inc. at CentroPark in Bagac, Bataan on October 31 on the strength of a search warrant issued by a Malolos, Bulacan court.
PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said Central One secured a license to function as a business process outsourcing firm but evidence suggested it may be linked to illegal online gambling and cryptocurrency scams.
On the other hand, the PNP-ACG said the Manila raid was carried out in coordination with the Manila Police District – District Mobile Force Battalion, Securities and Exchange Commission and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
The PNP-ACG said it took into custody 69 individuals — 34 Indonesians, 10 Malaysians and 25 Chinese nationals. The hub reportedly engaged in cryptocurrency and romance scams.
The BI said in a statement that it is in active communication with the PNP through multiple correspondences and continues to engage in discussions to ensure a smooth turnover process of the 69 arrested.
“Following established procedures and protocols, the BI awaits the necessary documentation from the PNP to initiate the formal turnover process, as has been previously communicated,” the BI said.
The required documents include all available information related to the subjects’ identities and the affidavit of arrest, detailing the circumstances of apprehension.
Foreign victims of human trafficking shall be assessed by the IACAT, it added.
Lacuna said the Century Peak Tower hub must start winding down its operations in the capital city.
“They can tell the owners of the buildings and houses they occupy that they are ending their rent or lease agreements. They can start serving notices to their employees that their employment contracts will end very soon,” she said in another statement near midnight Friday.
She added that Manila’s Public Employment Service Office could assist displaced Filipinos in looking for new jobs.
Lacuna said she supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive that all POGOs must be completely shut down no later than December 31 this year.
Casio said based on intelligence reports, 111 illegal POGO hubs have yet to cease operations. (With a report from Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)