THE Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) raided a suspected POGO hub at the Century Peak Tower, a 40-floor skyscraper located along Adriatico Street in Manila.

In a statement, the PAOCC said the operation, which took place at the Century Peak Tower on October 29 by virtue of a search warrant for violation of the cybercrime law and Section 26 of Republic Act 8799 or the Securities Regulation Code, resulted in the apprehension of 69 illegal foreign workers, including Chinese, Malaysian and Indonesian, allegedly engaged in online scamming, illegal gambling, and human trafficking.

The operation was personally spearheaded by PNP Chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Major General Sidney Hernia, and PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) director Major General Ronnie Cariaga.

The PAOCC said the building owner allegedly boasted of his “untouchable” status.

The successful bust underscores the strong will of these law enforcement agencies in dismantling criminal operations linked to online scams, illegal gambling, and human trafficking.

According to PAOCC sources, multiple floors allegedly serve as makeshift offices for unregistered and unregulated operators.

Despite the “successful operation” amid the government’s fight against illegal POGOs, the problem arose when the Bureau of Immigration (BI) refused to accept the apprehended undocumented foreign workers for legal custody.

“Ayon sa mga impormante sa law enforcement, ang pagtangging ito ay nagpapakita ng impluwensya ng may-ari, na sinasabing may malalalim na koneksyon sa burukrasya upang protektahan ang kanyang negosyo,” said PAOCC.

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