Four suspected Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (Pogo) activities are being investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 in Cebu. This was revealed by Rennan Augustus Oliva, head of NBI 7.
“We received reports and information about possible Pogo activity spread across our region, and we are verifying it,” said Oliva on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. He added that, based on initial investigations, four Pogo-like activities are being monitored in the cities and province of Cebu.
On Aug. 31, joint forces from the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, NBI, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and the Bureau of Immigration discovered a Pogo hub in Lapu-Lapu City after raiding a hotel and resort in Barangay Agus. Earlier this month, a suspected Pogo site was found inside a private resort in the southwestern town of Moalboal.
Oliva acknowledged that investigating such activities is challenging because they often occur in hidden locations. “It’s not easy to verify because these areas are secured, so we have to monitor the activities,” he explained further. If the information is confirmed to be legitimate, he assured that they would take immediate action.
Previously, it has been noted that many foreign nationals involved in illegal activities often operate from resorts or hotels where they rent spaces and set up high-speed internet connections to facilitate their operations. / ANV