LAPU-LAPU City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan issued a cease and desist order (CDO) against the Tourist Garden Hotel in Barangay Agus.
In a press conference on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, Chan told reporters that his basis for issuing the CDO was that the hotel leased spaces to businesses operating online scams.
These are Cyber Internet House Corp., Nanyang Zhongjing Tobacco Corp., Hwa Van Realties Inc., Royal 1 Suwu KTV Corp. and Asean Gufeng International Trade Corp.
They too are included in the mayor’s CDO.
Chan said the hotel, which is also home to a KTV, a restaurant and a grocery, was used as a front by these establishments, which made it hard for the local government unit to catch their illegal activities.
He clarified that the City is open to accept investments and businesses as long as these are legal and not detrimental to the community.
The order was also in response to the discovery of foreign workers without valid work permits conducting online “love” scams or Pogo-like activities during a rescue operation last Saturday, Aug. 31. The raid was conducted by a joint force led by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of immigration and the Philippine National Police, among others.
While ongoing inventory is conducted in the hotel premises, Chan said he has asked for a composite team to help investigate reports that some Pogo operators from Pampanga and Tarlac have relocated in Lapu-Lapu City.
“I have already requested from the Department of Justice to have a composite team in the City of Lapu-Lapu kay naa na’y nangabot gikan sa Pampanga and Tarlac,” he said.
In the press conference, it was revealed that the hotel is near the barangay’s police station and barangay hall.
In an interview last Sunday, Sept. 1, Lt. Col. Christian Torres, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office spokesman, admitted that they received reports of illegal activities taking place inside the hotel in 2023 yet, but they had a hard time penetrating the establishment due to limited access to resources and the nature of the activities, which are “highly technical.”
Chan called on all local workers and netizens to step forward and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or on his Facebook page.
He also assured that establishments in the city suspected of housing illegal offshore gaming operations will be identified and validated within the month of September.
Meanwhile, NBI 7 Director Renan Oliva said an inquest will be conducted into a human trafficking operation uncovered during last Saturday’s raid.
He said the discovery highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive action against such activities.
“Our team, in coordination with other agencies, is committed to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable and that the victims receive the support and protection they need.” Oliva said. “The rescued victims are now under the care of authorities and are receiving necessary assistance.”
The investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those involved in the human trafficking operation, as well as to determine the extent of their involvement in the illegal Pogo hub.
In earlier SunStar Cebu reports, the raid was prompted by a tip from the Indonesian Embassy, which was worried about the welfare of its citizens working in the Pogo hub.
SunStar Cebu tried to reach out to the BI, but calls and emails remained unanswered as of press time.
During the raid, authorities found multiple individuals being held against their will and forced to work under exploitative conditions.
More than 100 foreigners, mostly Chinese nationals, Indonesians and some from Myanmar, were rescued during the operation.
They urged the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to offshore gaming operations.
In addition to the human trafficking, the raid also uncovered other illegal activities, including money laundering and illegal gambling.
The NBI is investigating these crimes and working to dismantle the network behind them.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, for its part, said it would strengthen its monitoring against Pogo activities.
Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, PRO 7 Director Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin’s spokesman, said they are looking into claims that there are Pogo hubs operating in big establishments and exclusive subdivisions, where security is strictly enforced.
“Ongoing ang atoang monitoring and we have some establishments being looked upon for possible activities related to Pogo. Amo lang i-assure sa publiko nga sa amo na gikaingon sauna dili moundang ang Police Regional Office 7 sa pag-conduct og monitoring related to Pogo,” said Pelare.
(Our monitoring is ongoing, and we have some facilities under investigation for potential activities related to Pogo. We can only reassure the public that, as we have stated previously, the PRO 7 will not cease performing surveillance linked to Pogo.)
“So makita ninyu nga itago gyud nila ang mga empleyado unya inig gawas naka-tinted nga van dili makita ang sulod. So it’s very important that naay mga concerned citizens nga mo-coordinate gyud sa kapulisan or sa lain-laing ahensya sa gobyerno para mahibaw-an nato nga ang usa ka area naay Pogo,” he added.
(So you can see that they would conceal their employees when they leave the office; they will travel in a van with tinted windows so that no one can see them inside. So it’s very important that concerned citizens coordinate with the police or other government agencies so that we can identify areas where Pogo is present.)
In Cebu City, Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, in an interview on Monday, said there is no assurance that there are no Pogo operations in the city, but as far as their inspection is concerned, none has been found.
Garcia said the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) and the Cebu City Police Office already inspected registered establishments, but they only found e-games operations, mostly people playing scatter, an online gambling game.
“Under our BPLO, we don’t have man gyud Pogo-registered establishment here in Cebu unlike in Luzon, in Manila, naa man gyud. It’s really under their registration nga Pogo gyud, so diri sa Cebu City, wala gyud ta kakita,” he said.
(Under our BPLO, we don’t really have a Pogo-registered establishment here in Cebu unlike in Luzon, in Manila. There are establishments there that are registered as Pogos, which is not the case here in Cebu.)
He said the Philippine National Police was able to inspect the companies, but it said that everything was in order.
However, Garcia said he could not say there are no Pogo operations in the city.
“So far sa among nakit-an, wala gyud mi nakit-an (But from what we’ve seen, there’s none),” he said.
The Duterte administration saw a significant increase in the number of Pogos, which are online gambling businesses that cater to Chinese clients.
These businesses have been operating in the Philippines since 2003 but experienced rapid growth after 2016.
Despite the issues associated with the Pogo boom, Duterte defended the industry, citing its contribution to the income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
Pogos are required to have a license from Pagcor and are prohibited from serving Filipino customers.
Last July, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the immediate banning of Pogos in the country.
Offshore gaming operators found themselves in hot war following the discovery of two illegal Pogo firms in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga that were found to be involved in scamming activities, human trafficking, money laundering, kidnapping, torture, sexual abuse and even murder.
Most, if not all, of those involved were foreign nationals. / DPC, JBB, AYB, TPT, JPS