Porac POGO hub probe wrapping up

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), together with law enforcement authorities, is set to wrap up the search operation in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga.

“We will wrap up our search operation conducted with the police,” PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said in a radio interview on Saturday.

In wrapping up the operations, Cruz said they will provide an inventory of the discovered items within the premises such as torture materials as well as mobile devices used for cloning SIM cards and messaging.

“What I found was quite disturbing and syndicates were using the devices for cloning SIM cards and sending text blasts,” he said.

“For instance, you are receiving messages about loans. In loan scams, for example, they would text ‘Do you need a loan, a loan with the lowest interest?' That is from them. That is the machine they are using,” he said, noting that the text blasts could reach up to a five-kilometer radius.

Cruz said they were able to rescue four torture victims and detain some bosses allegedly involved in torture.

“In the coming days, we will file charges against those involved, the management running the POGO,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cruz said the PAOCC is conducting a link analysis between the raided POGO firm in Porac and the POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac.

“So far it showed that they are exchanging personnel. They are linked and know each other.”

58 IGLs on watchlist

In a separate interview, PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said they were monitoring the activities of 58 internet gaming licensees (IGLs) in the country.

“These are 58 online gaming hubs operating differently—there are legal and illegal,” he said.

With the lack of PAOCC manpower, Casio urged the local government units to help in monitoring their respective jurisdictions.

Casio said there are 43 IGLs with legal permits currently operating nationwide.