Latest news with #POGO
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Pinoy spouses, children say goodbye to deported Chinese POGO workers
Filipino spouses and children bid farewell to Chinese loved ones who are Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) workers being deported back to China. In Saleema Refran's Tuesday report on '24 Oras,' alias 'Jacque' expressed worry for the Chinese father of her six-month-old baby. She said she plans to follow her partner to China. But for other Filipinos, it may be the last time they will see their Chinese loved ones. 'Bigyan po sila ng chance kung wala naman pong case na kasangkot ng mga iligal ganun. Pagbigyan po na mapalaya po,' alias 'Marie' said. (Give them a chance if they are not involved in illegal activities. I hope they will be freed.) At least 100 Chinese citizens are being deported to Shanghai, China. They were nabbed during the anti-POGO operation in scam hubs in Cebu, Cavite, Parañaque, and Pasay. The Chinese government paid for their fare to China without any layovers. 'Importante ito sa kanila dahil marami silang nakukuhang impormasyon dito sa bosses especially kung paano sila nag ooperate, saan sila nag ooperate at anu-anong mga sistema sa money laundering,' Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) executive director Gilbert Cruz. (This is important to them since they get information about the bosses, especially on how and where they operate, and their system in money laundering.) Once the deported POGO workers return to China, they will undergo a thorough investigation since some were allegedly involved in large-scale crimes, where many fell victim to different scam hubs allegedly from the Philippines. These cases involved cybercrime, scamming, fraud, and money laundering. 'Ang pinag-uusapan natin dito, billions of dollars. Yung isang na-turn over natin na wanted person sa kanila, umaabot sa P900 billion ang kanyang nakulimbat o na money launder doon sa kanilang bansa,' Cruz said. (We're talking about billions of dollars. One person we turned over is a wanted person for a money laundering case in their country, which amounted to P900 billion.) The PAOCC said since the crackdown on POGO hubs was launched in 2023, about 4,000 people were arrested of whom 2,500 are foreigners deported to their respective countries. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration said it has fixed the delay in the other arrested POGO workers' deportation process. 'Ang main difficulty na lang natin ngayon hindi na yung NBI clearance. Dati kasi medjo ilang buwan pa yung binibilang, ngayon isang araw na lang. Ang magiging challenge ngayon, yung kanilang pasaporte,' BI spokersperson Dana Sandoval said. (The main difficulty we're facing right now is not the NBI clearance. Before, it was being processed for months, but now, it can be processed in one day. Our current challenge is their passports.) — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BAP, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
5 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
14-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Gatchalian seeks probe on BI's alleged mishandling of POGO-related deportations
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is seeking an inquiry into alleged corruption and misconduct in the handling of POGO deportations by the Bureau of Immigration (BI). In a statement on Saturday, Gatchalian said he filed Senate Resolution 1381 to probe the agency's leadership amid allegations of corruption and misconduct raised by some concerned BI employees. 'The improper implementation of the country's anti-POGO policy concerning the detention and deportation of foreign nationals involved in POGOs may create loopholes in our anti-POGO framework and allow nefarious POGO actors to continue their operations,' Gatchalian said. The senator said that the improper deportation of POGO-related foreign nationals may allow them to escape liability. GMA News Online reached out to BI for comment. The story will be updated once a response has been received. Earlier this month, unnamed BI employees sent a letter to the President, accusing the agency's top official of overstepping authority by expediting bail for foreign nationals tied to POGOs, including influential POGO figures, according to the lawmaker. The BI employees also claimed that a new scheme has emerged involving the auctioning of permanent quota visas to the highest bidder. 'Kailangan nating ituwid ang katiwalian sa ahensyang inaasahang nagpapatupad ng batas at punan ang pagkukulang sa ating mga regulasyon,' Gatchalian said. (We need to correct corruption in the agency that is supposed to enforce the law and fill the gaps in our regulations.) President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. earlier this week also said he is looking into the allegations Well, of course, we're looking at it. But, you know, mahirap mapag-aralan nang mabuti kung white paper na hindi napirmahan at saka walang specifics. But nonetheless, everything like this, we look into it, and we will continue to do that,'' Marcos told reporters in an ambush interview. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
13-06-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Telecom operators call for review of Konektadong Pinoy Act
The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO) urged the administration to closely review the measure before signing the bill and to ensure that its implementing rules establish clear, enforceable guardrails are the ones that promote real digital inclusion, ensure national security, and preserve a fair and future-ready industry. The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO), composed of the country's leading telcos, is calling for a review of the Konektadong Pinoy Act that was ratified by both chambers of Congress and awaiting the President's signature. The PCTO said, that while it supports the bill's goal of expanding internet access across the country, it warned that the version passed by the bicameral committee could 'lead to national security vulnerabilities, weaken regulatory oversight, and destabilize the telecommunications sector in the long run.' 'We support providing broader connectivity to all Filipinos. However, the bill lowers the bar for accountability and opens the country to risks tied to unregulated infrastructure and potential foreign control,' said Atty. Froilan Castelo, PCTO president and Globe general counsel. Under the measure, new data transmission players are no longer required to secure a legislative franchise or Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) — a move that removes key filters historically used to evaluate legal, financial, technical, and cybersecurity readiness. 'This creates a two-tier system. Existing players remain subject to full regulation, while new entrants operate with fewer checks. That's a national security concern and a fairness issue,' said Castelo. The PCTO also raised concern about the law's exemption for satellite direct access services from any form of registration or authorization from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) or the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). This stands in contrast to the law's own principle of technology neutrality under Section 19. 'You cannot claim to be technology-neutral and at the same time give one technology a free pass. The provision requiring satellite services to apply for NTC spectrum use was removed in the final version. That opens a dangerous backdoor,' Castelo said. On cybersecurity, the group flagged that the law allows new players a two-year window to comply with national and international security standards. The PCTO believes this delay is unacceptable in today's environment of escalating cyber threats. Another gap in the law is the absence of any requirement for new players to serve geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), according to the group, adding that 'this could incentivize new entrants to focus only on high-density urban areas, leaving rural communities behind.' The telecom operators also noted the risks of rushing legislation without deeper stakeholder review, citing the POGO law as a cautionary example of well-intended but poorly executed policy. 'We've seen what happens when laws are rushed and under-vetted. We cannot afford another case where gaps in the law create bigger problems down the road,' Castelo said. The PCTO urged the administration to closely review the measure before signing the bill and to ensure that its implementing rules establish clear, enforceable guardrails are the ones that promote real digital inclusion, ensure national security, and preserve a fair and future-ready industry. — BAP, GMA Integrated News
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
