643 Workers Arrested in Pasay City: Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) Raid Reveals Cybercrime Activities
On the night of Tuesday (August 2,2023), authorities conducted a surprising raid on a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub located at Zamora corner Gaitos Street in Pasay City, revealing alleged cybercrime activities. The operation led to the detention of around 643 individuals.
Armed with 8 warrants to seize, search and examine computer data from a Manila court, agents of the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police raided the Rivendell Gaming Corp. Inc. office located in a five-story building at the corner of Zamora and Gaitos streets at around 9 p.m.
Most of the arrested workers were Filipino; however, a significant number of foreigners, including Chinese nationals, were also held. The company identified as SA Rivendell Global Support was allegedly involved in various cyber scams. Despite being recognized as a POGO customer relations service provider by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), the facility was suspected to be a front for illegal activities.
A law enforcer inspects a bank of cell phones during a raid on a Philippine offshore gaming operator in Pasay City on Tuesday night
Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty stated that about 186 workers were foreigners, include 164 Chinese, 5 Malaysians, 3 Taiwanese, 1 Vietnamese, 8 Indians, 2 Pakistanis, 1 Bangladeshi, and another 1 from Myanmar.
The center was suspected of engaging in love scams, online game manipulations, and other forms of investment fraud, including cryptocurrency scams. Investigation further revealed hundreds of mobile phones, computers, telephone cards, and other devices. Documents with love scam scripts and text-bombing devices were also discovered.
PAOCC executive director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said the raid was based on a tip that the POGO firm is a scam hub.
“During the raid, various individuals were caught operating digital platforms that were engaged in a number of illegal online activities,” Cruz said in a message on Viber.
Among these are love scams and “pig butchering,” a type of fraud wherein people are lured into online relationships and subsequently into cryptocurrency scams.
Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros-Baraquel pointed out the similarities in the layout between the Pasay hub and another POGO facility in Las Piñas City, raided earlier in June. The senator explained that unlike the Las Piñas hub, which ran an online casino, the Pasay hub was more focused on scams.
Pagcor's Assistant Vice President, Jessa Fernandez, informed that they regularly inspect POGO companies, and the last inspection of SA Rivendell was on July 26. Signs of illegal activities were cited.
The raid has raised concerns amongst local governments and senators about the social costs of POGO operations, outweighing the benefits. Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian has urged local governments to ban Philippine offshore gaming operators to protect their jurisdiction from crimes.
Lawmakers continue to push for a ban on mostly Chinese gaming companies that operate online casinos. During the term of ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte, these have been seen as breeding grounds for illegal activities, including kidnapping and money laundering.
The raid on the Pasay POGO hub sheds light on a continuing issue in the Philippines, highlighting the need for strict regulation and oversight of offshore gaming operators. It has become a call to action for the government to ensure that legal gambling operations do not become a facade for more sinister activities.
