Pinoys in raided Tarlac POGO hub freed
THREE hundred and seventy-one Filipinos found working in a POGO compound in Bamban, Tarlac which was raided by authorities last Wednesday have been freed, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission Executive Director Gilbert DC Cruz told the Journal Group yesterday.
However, the official said that the 499 foreigners, including 427 Chinese nationals found inside the Zun Yuan Technology Inc. compound at Sitio Pag-asa, Bgy. Anupul in Bamban, Tarlac, are currently being subjected to a thorough investigation.
“With the help of the Bureau of Immigration, we are checking the records of these foreigners prior to recommending their summary deportation,” said Cruz even as he added they are monitoring other similar establishments which have turned up to be scam havens.
The official said there are around 400 POGO companies in the country with expired licenses already, majority of them in Metro Manila, The rest are located in the cities of Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro.
The PAOCC official said they have sought the help of the BI, the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation, the Philippine National Police, the Department of Justice and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in going after these illegal facilities.
The Department of Agency-led Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking is also involved in the ongoing operation.
A report to PNP chief General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. said undergoing questioning as of press time are 499 foreigners composed of 427 Chinese nationals, eight Malaysians, 57 Vietnamese, three Taiwanese, two Rwandans and two Indonesians.
The freed Filipinos were either maintenance crew, housekeepers and security guards of the raided facility, which was near a local municipal hall.
The operation saw authorities searching for 36 buildings inside the massive compound in Bgy. Anupul whose illegal activities have escaped the eyes of the local government and the police.
Undersecretary Cruz said some of the foreigners arrested during the riad were found to be “enforcers” or those tasked by the company bosses to exact punishment on their employees who fail to meet their daily quota.
Criminal charges for human trafficking and serious illegal detention are being readied against some of the foreign suspects.
