FOUR Korean nationals were arrested in Cebu City for alleged involvement in illegal online gambling, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) said Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
In a press conference, ACG director Brigadier General Wilson Asueta said the intelligence-driven operation was conducted on the evening of March 2 in a condominium complex by virtue of a search warrant issued by Branch 7 of the Cebu Regional Trial Court.
Police identified the arrested foreigners as “Song,” 38; “Kung,” 35; “Yun,” 29; and “Lun,” 38.
“Aside from the tipsters, nagkaroon tayo ng cyber-patrolling, then ground validation through surveillance kaya ito napin-point natin kung saan itong condo nag-o-operate,” Asueta said.
(Aside from the tipsters, we conducted cyber-patrolling, then ground validation through surveillance, which is why we were able to pinpoint where this condo operation was taking place.)
Asueta said the group operated for nearly five years with local and international bettors through a website. He said the illegal online platform is also advertised on social media.
“Ang mga tumataya diyan sa umpisa pananalunin, but later on, talo rin kayo kasi they can manipulate the system kasi hindi sila regulated,” Asueta said.
(Those who place bets there may win at the beginning, but later on you will still lose because they can manipulate the system since they are not regulated.)
Asueta said police are coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to validate the legitimacy of the stay of the arrested Korean nationals in the country.
Charges for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9287 or the illegal gambling law in relation to Section 6 of RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 were filed against the suspects. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)