6 Chinese ex-Pogo workers arrested in Subic Freeport
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Six undocumented Chinese nationals, who used to work in a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) service provider that operated here, were arrested in their rented apartment inside Trillo Bay Villas in this freeport, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said on Saturday.
An SBMA report said the Chinese nationals, identified as Yongfeng Huang, Guo Jun, Hong Xiaojun, Bai Shiping, Guo Shiquan and Gan Ning, were arrested on Thursday in their joint operation with the Bureau of Immigration (BI). Of the six, only Huang had a passport.
Lawyer Melvin Varias, officer-in-charge of SBMA’s Office of the Deputy Administrator for Legal Affairs, said the six were part of the 57 Chinese nationals who previously worked at the then Subic Freeport-based Teleempire Incorporated, an accredited service provider of licensed Pogo in the region.
Of the 57 Chinese nationals, six had returned to their country, while 51 were unaccounted for until the raid on a residential unit in the freeport that was turned into an illegal Pogo hub.
On Sept. 4, two Chinese nationals were caught operating an illegal Pogo hub inside this freeport during the joint operation by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the SBMA Law Enforcement Department and the Intelligence and Investigation Office.
The operation was based on a search warrant issued by Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 97 Judge Melani Fay V. Tadili for the two Chinese for violating of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
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During the search, 18 other Chinese nationals, who were alleged victims of human trafficking, were rescued by the authorities. Also confiscated were 18 desktop computers, two closed circuit television digital video recorders, 12 assorted cellphone, bank cards, identification cards, passports, a safety vault and assorted knives.
According to Varias, they were continuing their search for the remaining 25 undocumented Chinese in cooperation with the BI.
The arrested Chinese were brought to the BI’s head office in Intramuros, Manila, where they would be detained while their deportation is being processed.
Last month, President Marcos formalized the ban on all Pogos in the country under Executive Order No. 74.
On Thursday, the same day of the arrest of the six Chinese in this freeport, the President ordered law enforcement agencies to carry out small but multiple operations against offshore gaming operators that were still running their businesses despite the ban. INQ
The President also directed local officials to coordinate with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in going after Pogos and internet gaming operators in their areas.
He also ordered DILG to step up the gathering of information on the presence of Pogos in communities.
