PNP to ”intensify our operations” vs crime groups within POGOs

February 25, 2020

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will toughen its crackdown against criminal syndicates operating within Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) firms.

Police Brig. Gen. Bernard  Banac, the PNP spokesman, said in a phone interview Tuesday: ''We will intensify our operations.”

The PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (AKG) were tasked for that job.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday urged the PNP as well as the Bureau of Immigration and National Bureau of Investigation to hunt criminal syndicates in POGO companies.

Banac said the PNP had been operating against crime syndicates victimizing Chinese workers even before Gatchalian's call.

He said two Chinese men were rescued from their captors, including co-employee at a POGO company in Clark, Pampanga on Monday.

AKG records showed kidnapping cases involving Chinese nationals rose by 71 percent to 58 cases in 2019 from 34 cases in 2018.

Since January, police arrested at least 26 Chinese nationals for allegedly kidnapping their countrymen.

The PNP will provide men to the BI if a mass deportation of Chinese nationals working in POGO firms happens.

“We will provide the muscle to effect a massive deportation if an order is given,” Banac said.

The BI said said a deportation of Chinese workers  is shaping up as China's crackdown on telecommunications-related crimes would mean canceling their passports. DMS