Latest news with #GilbertCruz
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
100 Chinese ex-POGO workers deported to China
Some 100 Chinese individuals who worked for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) were deported to China on Tuesday. According to Saleema Refran's report on Balitanghali, they were deported at around 10:40 a.m. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said China paid for the airfare of the deportees, with the goal of ensuring that they will not be able to escape. "Importante kasi sa kanila 'yan dahil marami silang nakukuhang impormasyon dito sa mga bosses kung paano sila nag o-operate, saan sila nag-o-operate, at anu-anong mga sistema sa money laundering ang ginagamit nila," PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said. (It's important to them because they get a lot of information from the bosses here. How they operate, where they operate, and what money laundering systems they use.) "Ang ayaw kasi nila siyempre 'yung hindi nakakarating sa China mismo 'yung mga boss nitong operation ng POGO," he added. (What they really don't want, of course, is for the bosses of these POGO operations to not arrive in China.) Once in China, the deportees will undergo investigation for scamming, cybercrime, fraud, and money laundering. Broken apart Meanwhile, the Filipino partners and spouses of the deportees were emotional when saying their goodbyes, including one who even brought their six-month child. "Sobrang sakit po kasi may anak po kami (It really hurts because we have a child)," one of the women said. The mother is already in contact with the deportee's family and China, and plans to follow him there with their daughter. The former workers were arrested during anti-POGO operations in Cebu, Cavite, Parañaque, and Pasay. They have been declared undesirable aliens due to lack of visas and work permits, and for working in illegal POGOs. Aside from these, they have also been blacklisted and can no longer return to the Philippines. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. banned all POGOs in the country effective July 22, 2024 after raids against illegal POGOs revealed equipment used for torture, love scams, and other crimes. Since the crackdown, some 4,000 former POGO workers have been arrested while 2,500 have been deported. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
PAOCC launches one-stop shop vs. abusive lending apps
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Monday launched a one-stop shop to handle complaints of victims of abusive online lending applications. 'Hindi na kailangan pumunta sa pulis. Dito, sama-sama na kami para mas madali na ang pag-file ng kaso, hindi na gagastos,' said PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert Cruz. (There's no need to go to the police. The agencies are here for easier filing of complaints. It will also be less costly for the complainants.) The complaint desk at the PAOCC office in Pasay City has representatives from the National Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), Philippine National Police and its anti-cyber crime group, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 'Bottom line is, we need to file an airtight case,' said Police Brigadier General Rollie Suguilon, OIC of PNP-CIDG. Interest rates charged to borrowers of online lending apps reach up to 50 percent. For April and May this year, over 13,000 complaints have been received by the PAOCC from people victimized by the lending apps. During the launch of the one-stop shop, PAOCC said it received a hundred sworn statements of complainants. One victim, Julie, said the lending app used AI-generated images to expose her on social media, which affected her mental health. 'I used to be jolly, now I no longer go out of the house. To end this, I even thought of suicide,' she said in Filipino. Online lending apps should be registered with the SEC, but the agency acknowledged some manage to advertise their lending offers without going through the agency. It advised users to immediately report the illegal lending apps so they could be blocked.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Up to 10,000 Pogo-linked foreigners remain in Philippines, criticisms mount over inaction
Up to 10,000 foreign nationals linked to the controversial Philippine offshore gaming operations (Pogos) remain in the country despite a ban on the sector last year, with calls from lawmakers mounting to track down those at large and quickly deport them. Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission (PAOCC) chief Gilbert Cruz revealed the numbers – mostly Chinese nationals – in the past week to a committee at the House of Representatives overseeing hearings on Pogos and alleged links to human rights violations, scams, and other crimes. '[Enforcement actions against] more than 9,000 illegal foreign workers have been temporarily suspended. Many detainees cannot be deported due to missing passports,' Cruz said, referring to an estimated total that included those at large. This has led to congestion in a detention facility in Pasay, a building converted into a PAOCC office, previously a Pogos hub raided and seized by the commission during last year's crackdown. There are 640 detainees in the facility awaiting deportation. Cruz said the commission was having difficulty funding their food and healthcare needs, with two in custody having died due to illness, while as many as 300 had fallen ill. Without naming other Philippine agencies, Cruz added his side was having difficulty deporting the foreign workers as 'coordination with foreign embassies for travel documents remains slow and inefficient'.
GMA Network
12-06-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
PAOCC suspends ops due to disease outbreak in overcrowded POGO detention facility
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Thursday expressed concern over the spread of contagious diseases among the Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) workers in its custody, forcing the agency to suspend its operations against their illegal activities. PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert Cruz said at least 700 former POGO employees remain at their temporary detention center in Pasay City. A recent medical examination revealed 66 tested positive for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis. ''Yang mga workers na po yan…'yung iba po diyan lalo na yung mga nahuli namin, pag pina-pacheck namin may mga sakit,' Cruz said in Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon. (Some of the arrested POGO workers we checked are sick.) 'Itong huling pina-check namin, 66 ang nagpositive sa sakit na HIV, syphilis at hepatitis. Mga nakakahawa po yan,' he added. (In our latest testing, 66 tested positive for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis.) During the last hearing of the House Quad Committee (QuadComm) on Monday, Cruz said more than 9,000 former POGO workers remain at large in the Philippines. 'Pakalat-kalat ang mga yan so hindi natin alam kung ano ang activities nila araw-araw. Baka imbis na ipagamot sila ay nagkakalat pa ng sakit,' said Cruz. (They are at large and we don't know their activities. They may be spreading diseases instead of seeking treatment.) 'Dapat talaga bigyan ito nang mabilis na action at kung kailangan ipa-deport agad, ipa-deport na kaysa makahawa sa mga kababayan natin,' he added. (There should be immediate action against this and if they need to be deported, we should deport them so they would not infect our own citizens.) Meanwhile, Cruz said PAOCC was forced to temporarily suspended its operations due to overcrowding in their detention facility. 'For almost two months, hindi na kami nag ooperate kasi unang-una, ang daming may sakit. Nagkaroon ng mini pandemic sa aming facility na nagkaroon ng lung infection dun,' he said. (We did not operate for two months because a lot of them are sick. There was a mini pandemic of lung infections in the facility.) 'We needed to stop yung pagda dagdag ng tao at gamutin muna namin itong may mga sakit. So far medyo nakaka-recover na yung iba. Baka later, bumalik na kami sa dating operations namin,' he added. (We needed to stop adding people and first focus on treating those who are ill. Some have recovered. Maybe later, we can resume our normal operations.) —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
09-06-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
Over 9,000 POGO workers remain at large in PH — PAOCC
Months since POGOs were banned in the country, more than 9,000 former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers remain at large in the Philippines, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said Monday. 'So, due to the overcrowding, enforcement actions against the estimated 9,000 — ito po po yung kailangan hulihin natin. These are more than 9,000 illegal foreign workers — have been temporarily suspended,' PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz said during the last hearing of the House Quad Committee (QuadComm). (So, due to the overcrowding, enforcement actions against the estimated 9,000 — these are the ones we need to apprehend — have been temporarily suspended. These are more than 9,000 illegal foreign workers.) According to Cruz, their operations were temporarily suspended due to overcrowding at the PAOCC's detention facility in Pasay City. He said PAOCC conducted Cruz said there are currently over 600 foreigners detained at the facility. 'Many detainees still cannot be deported due to missing passports. Ito po 'yung problema natin, sir. 'Yung mga walang passports, because 'yung mga foreign nationals na nagtatrabaho po sa POGO mga tinanggalan po ng passports 'yan at 'yan, pakalat-kalat po ngayon dito sa Pilipinas,' Cruz said. (Many detainees still cannot be deported due to missing passports. This is our problem, sir. Those without passports, because many of the foreign nationals who worked in POGOs had their passports taken from them, are now scattered all over the Philippines.) Cruz said the detainees have been diagnosed with tuberculosis, hepatitis B, respiratory infections, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 'Actually, sir, dito po kami nalulumpo. Just three weeks ago, nagpa-cremate po tayo ng isang HIV victim,' Cruz said. (Actually, sir, this is where we are paralyzed. Just three weeks ago, we had to cremate an HIV victim.) PAOCC spends P2 million every month for the detainee's food, healthcare, and medical needs, according to the executive director. He recommended the creation of a centralized database for monitoring illegal operations and sharing real-time intelligence. He said local government units should also be trained and equipped to detect hidden POGOs following their shift to guerilla operations. Aside from this, he said the deportation process must also be improved through close coordination with foreign embassies while regional cooperation must be pursued more actively. 'Lastly, a nationwide public information campaign is needed to raise awareness about illegal offshore gaming operations and scam operations. As well as the role of community reporting in stopping these activities,' Cruz said. 'This is not only about removing illegal businesses but also about protecting the country's integrity. ensuring public safety, and demonstrating to the world that the Philippines will not be a safe haven for crime,' he added. Cruz said authorities arrested 750 foreign nationals in 10 major raids in 2025. Due to their operations, Cruz said some POGOs moved their operations to the Visayas and Mindanao as well as Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. He said there are also reports that some relocated to Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and the Republic of Vanuatu. President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. banned all POGOs in the country effective on July 22, 2024 after raids against illegal POGOs revealed equipment used for torture, love scams, and other crimes. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
