UNEXPECTED FIND | Police officers rescued not only victims of human trafficking but also fugitives wanted in their countries during the raid of a Philippine offshore gaming operator hub in Las Piñas City. (File photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police, has raised the alarm over the “possibility” that more foreign fugitives may be employed in other online gambling firms after a recent human trafficking raid in Las Piñas involved four Chinese and three Taiwanese outlaws.
At a press briefing, the PNP chief said they were in “constant coordination” with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) as they intensify their efforts to go after “illegal activities” of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos).
“We have received reports coming from operating units [about this] wherein we have taken into custody some fugitives in these Pogo operations … Whether this is a practice or modus operandi that fugitives hide in this kind of hub, there is a possibility,” Acorda told reporters.
A raid led by the PNP “rescued” some 2,000 alleged human trafficking victims, including foreign fugitives, at the Hong Tai Compound in Las Piñas City on June 26.
Brig. Gen. Sidney Hernia, director of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, said they first learned that there were foreign fugitives in some Pogo hubs in their recent raids after coordinating with embassies who provided them with a list.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, for his part, on Monday slammed a number of Pogos for allegedly hiring fugitives wanted for crimes in other countries, saying this gives the Marcos administration another reason to ban their presence in the country.
In a statement, Gatchalian cited how fugitives who were rounded up in the recent raid in Las Piñas City were found to be working for Xinchuang Network Technology, a licensed Pogo firm in the country.
“This is yet another evidence that the Pogo industry is deeply entrenched in criminal activities. It is clear that even legitimate Pogo firms also have involvement in crimes,” Gatchalian said.
A cover for wanted aliens
According to Gatchalian, the recent raids showed how Pogo firms, including those Pagcor-accredited, have supposedly become a cover for aliens allegedly wanted for crimes.
In just two months, two accredited Pogo service providers have been implicated in criminality, he said.
But at a press conference, Sen. Raffy Tulfo said he filed a resolution that seeks to investigate the police operations against Pogo firms.
He denounced the supposed clumsy law enforcement work by the PNP, the BI, the Department of Labor and Employment, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in addressing the issues concerning Pogos.
Tulfo questioned why no criminal charges have been filed against officers of Xinchuang .
Quoting a “reliable” police source, Tulfo disclosed that cops purportedly used the foreign nationals as “milking cows” by asking money from them in exchange for their freedom.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday also slammed the PNP for conducting human trafficking operations despite an apparent lack of evidence and without coordination with the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Remulla said the PNP’s supposed lack of evidence and coordination resulted in the release of the five Chinese suspects involved in human trafficking.
They were identified as Li Jiacheng, Xiao Liu, Yan Jiayong, Duan Haozhuan, and LP Hongkun. They underwent inquest at the DOJ on June 30.