The Regional Office of the Philippine National Police in Central Visayas (PRO-7) has intensified its campaign against Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and online sabong (cockfighting) in the region.

PRO-7 Regional Director Police Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin, during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas media forum, said, "Continuous yung intelligence monitoring natin sa presence ng POGO dito sa Cebu City. We are happy to announce na as of this date, wala pa tayong positive developments at wala tayong nakikita na may existence dito ng illegal POGO."

When asked about online sabong, Aberin assured that they will conduct operations against it if it exists in the region, with the help and coordination of relevant government agencies.

In 2018, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas raided an illegal POGO operation in Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City. Similarly, the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas raided and arrested two businessmen involved in an online sabong operation in the town of Minglanilla a few years ago.

Department of Interior and Local Government in Central Visayas (DILG-7) Regional Director Leocadio Trovela, in the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum, said they have intensified monitoring of POGO-like and online gaming operations. "Consistent to the memorandum circular no. 2024-083 signed by DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, we have intensified our inventory and monitoring on local online gaming," Trovela said.

He added that the police and the city Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) have been conducting inspections on Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) and call centers to check on suspected POGO-like or illegal online gaming operations.

"This refers to reports of the proliferation of online gaming operations in various localities without the requisite government licenses. In some cases, aside from illegal gaming, such operations reportedly engage in cyber-crimes such as online scams and digital fraud, as well as human trafficking," Abalos said in his memorandum.

In response to these developments, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes ordered the BPLO to coordinate with the PNP to conduct inventory and monitoring of online gaming in the city. Lawyer Lizer Malate, the chief of BPLO-Mandaue City, told Daily Tribune that they continue conducting inspections on more than 100 BPOs in the city. However, he noted that there were no POGO-like or illegal online gaming operations in Mandaue.