Illegal gambling in the Philippines: 200 arrested in raid

Police carried out a raid on an illegal offshore operator near the Senate building in Pasay City.

The Philippines.- The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) along with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Pasay police have arrested 200 people, including Chinese nationals, in a raid on an unlicensed offshore gaming operator in Pasay City, near the Senate building. According to PAOCC undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, the masterminds were among those arrested.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has praised the raid but urged authorities to work with local governments and relevant agencies to eliminate offshore gaming operations.

“Having already violated the President’s order to stop the operation of POGOs, they even managed to operate it right behind the building of the Senate – the institution investigating the problems caused by POGOs,” he said. “Criminal syndicates continue to exploit POGO resources to fuel their fraudulent operations.”

See also: Philippines warns offshore gaming operators may move to Timor-Leste

Philippines’ BI says 3,000 foreign offshore gaming workers have left country

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Saturday (September 28) that nearly 3,000 foreign workers employed by offshore gaming operators with downgraded visas have departed from the country. During a meeting of the recently formed POGO Closure Task Force, BI officer-in-charge commissioner Joel Anthony Viado also reported that as of September 24, they have downgraded 5,955 visas. Of the total, approximately 55 per cent have already left the Philippines.

Viado also said that, during the meeting, task force members agreed to conduct service days for offshore gaming companies, where they will implement their downgraded visa status and issue exit clearances. He also added that DOLE representatives would join them during service days to collect surrendered alien employment permits for offshore gaming workers.