The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission raided on Thursday,Oct. 31 as BPO firm suspected of operating as a Pogo in Bagac, Bataan. (Jason Sigales / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — Law enforcement agencies raided a business process outsourcing (BPO) company allegedly operating as a Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo), in Bagac, Bataan on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 31.
Operatives under the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (Paocc), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Special Action Forces served a search warrant against Central One Bataan PH Incorporated at the Centro Park compound in Bagac town.
READ: PNP files raps vs 8 Chinese for human trafficking at Bamban Pogo hub
Regional Trial Court Third Judicial Region Branch 81 in Malolos City, Bulacan on October 29 issued the warrant for violations of the Anti-Trafficking and the Expanded Trafficking in Persons Acts.
Photo: JASON SIGALES / INQUIRER.net
According to Paocc spokesperson Winston Casio, authorities received reports of online sports betting scams being operated in the BPO company.
In a statement to INQUIRER.net on Friday evening, the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) confirmed that Central One was an enterprise registered with it.
The company, however, is not registered with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
AFAB added in its statement that it will “ensure that all necessary actions align with the investigation’s findings and legal standards.”
During the raid, operatives found evidence of undeclared cryptocurrency and gambling software on computers in the compound, Casio said.
Authorities will be applying for a cyber-warrant on Monday to examine computer and mobile devices for further investigation.
Central One chief executive officer Norman Chaw denied the allegations against the company.
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) operatives lock down a building in the Centro Park compound following the raid on the lot’s seven buildings on Thursday, Oct. 31. JASON SIGALES / INQUIRER.net
Casio initially told reporters that they suspected up to 600 Filipinos and up to 300 foreign nationals were working at the compound, but they have yet to profile the workers and release an official count.
Only 358 Filipinos and 57 foreigners, however, were found at the site at the time of the raid, the spokesperson confirmed in a press conference later on Thursday evening.
“Baka shifting lang, so nasa labas yung iba. Syempre, ‘di na babalik ‘yun, na-raid na,” Casio added.
(Maybe they’re on shifting, so the others weren’t in the compound. Of course, they won’t come back, it’s already been raided.)
The foreign nationals will be moved to Paocc’s facility in Pasay City, where they will await an inquest on Monday for possible violations of immigration laws.
Among the foreigners were Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Thai nationals.
Meanwhile, Casio added, the Filipino workers may be cleared to head home once their biometrics are taken by Monday morning.
CIDG seized six documents from the seven-building compound, including a utilities logbook, a drivers’ logbook and a dorm plan.
“This is the result of a month-long surveillance and research operation,” Police Regional Office 3 Director BGen. Redrico Maranan said.
“Ngayon pa lang, sa ating mga initial na pagtingin, nakikita natin na we will have a very airtight case against sa mga suspek natin,” he added.
(This early, with our initial findings, we can see that we will have a very airtight case against our suspects.)