Six personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) have been identified as suspects in the embezzlement of P13.45 million in monetary evidence seized during an illegal POGO raid in Bagac, Bataan, in October 2024.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed the findings during a briefing at Camp Crame, stating that a thorough investigation focused on the chain of custody led to the identification of the culprits.

“After careful investigation, the six members involved in the pilferage of evidence have been identified,” Remulla said. “The chain of custody has been studied and perfected and we have now determined who the real culprits are.”

The money was originally part of P141,133,483 seized on 29 October 2024, during a joint operation by the Presidential Anti Organized Crime Commission and the CIDG Anti Organized Crime Unit against an alleged illegal POGO hub, under Republic Act 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act).

However, a court later ruled the search illegal and ordered the release of the Central One compound in Bagac, Bataan, along with the seized funds.

Before the official turnover, the CIDG discovered that the cash evidence stored at the Anti Organized Crime Unit was incomplete. When nine boxes of the seized funds were unsealed in front of the legal counsel of the compound’s owner, over P13 million was found missing from the initial P141 million.

Counterfeit currency, or “boodle money,” had been placed inside several boxes in its stead.