DOJ and PAGCOR to review POGO licences

The DOJ and PAGCOR will review POGO licences after a raid on a company allegedly involved in human trafficking and cyber fraud.

The Philippines.- The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) have announced a review of licences issued to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) following a raid on a business processing company suspected of illegal activities.

The investigation aims to determine if the Colorful and Leap Group, located in the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, was involved in internet scamming and if it employed victims of human trafficking. According to local media reports, the company allegedly forced at least 1,090 foreign workers to work up to 18 hours a day under strict conditions.

On Saturday (May 6), DOJ assistant secretary Mico Clavano revealed that twelve employees of the company – seven Chinese, four Indonesians and one Malaysian – are being investigated by the DOJ for human trafficking, cybercrime, serious illegal detention, kidnapping, and immigration violations.

The victims are believed to be from Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Nepal, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Women were allegedly forced to persuade customers to buy cryptocurrencies as well as to export money through propositions of romance. Male employees were allegedly made to pose as women to achieve the same goal.

The Senate plans to conduct an inquiry into the alleged human trafficking and cyber fraud operations at the Clark Freeport Zone.

See also: 43 people rescued from gaming operation in the Philippines