POGO ‘BIG BOSS’ FALLS
A PRESIDENTIAL Anti-Organized Crime Commission-led operation on Thursday night resulted in the arrest of the suspected “Big Boss” of the raided Lucky South 99 POGO firm-turned-‘scam farm’ in Porac, Pampanga and 10 other Chinese nationals believed to be working for him.
PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert DC Cruz identified the suspect as Lyu Dong alias “Boss Boga/Boss Apaw/Boss Bahaw.”
He said the Chinese national was arrested based on a mission order issued by Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.
The accused was placed under arrest shortly after he exited his house at Block 9, Lot 2, Legaspi Street corner Arsobizpo St. in Las Villas de Manila in Biñan City in Laguna and was about to board his vehicle.
Usec. Cruz said Lyu Dong was previously included in a search warrant they served at the Lucky South 99 POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga last June 4.
“We have been tracking him down for the past eight months,” the official said.
Cruz said the capture of Lyu Dong followed their strong partnership with the BI and the Joint Special Operations Group-Military Intelligence Group of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
He said although positively identified by their informants, Lyu Dong presented a Chinese passport bearing the name Lin Xunhan with a July 4, 1991 birthdate.
“This detail raises questions about the potential use of false identities in his operations and emphasizes the need for ongoing scrutiny of cross-border activities involving individuals of interest,” Usec. Cruz said.
Twelve other Chinese nationals and their nine Filipino bodyguards who yielded three caliber 9mm semi-automatic pistols with several loaded magazines were also placed under investigation at the PAOCC detention facility in Pasay City along with Lyu Dong.
The Chinese nationals identified as Qui Xingjin, Zhang Jie, Zhang Haifeng, Lin Haiping, Lin Linxing, Wang Mingyang, Yuan Weijiang, Liu Changhuang, Cheng Hengfang, Sun Zhonglin, Liu Changwu and Lin Xunqin were asked to present their travel documents and other means of identification as part of the ongoing investigation.
Zhang Jie was found to have been already blacklisted by the BI.
In a report to PAOCC chairman Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, the official said since 2016, Lyu Dong was found to “have systematically built a network of scam farms, often employing legal businesses as fronts to obscure his illegal activities.”
PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio described the arrest of Lyu Dong as a “big blow” to POGO syndicates in the country.
“Hangga’t hindi natin nahuhuli ‘yung mga financier, ‘yung mga taong nagpapatakbo talaga ng mga POGO. Kahit makahuli tayo, makapagpakulong tayo at makapagpa-report tayo ng ilang libong mga Chinese workers na mga illegal dito, foreign nationals na mga ganyan, hindi sapat ‘yun kapag hindi natin mapapanagot ang big bosses,” he said.
Casio added that the arrest of the suspected Porac POGO “Big Boss” is another major proof that the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration is truly committed to finish the problems caused by illegal POGOs in the country while adding that the accused could provide them the necessary leads they need in going after these illegal establishments-turned “scam farms.”
Usec. Cruz said they have received information that Lyu Dong came from Hunan, China where he is known to be ‘”Hao Hao” or “Boss of the Boss.”
The accused was tagged as behind the operations of the raided Lucky South 99 and Hongsheng/Zun Yuan POGO hubs in Central Luzon as well as several other similar establishments in Calabarzon, Metro Manila and Central Visayas regions.
Cruz said Lyu Dong’s enterprises span multiple regions revealing a geographic reach that includes significant key areas including the Cebu Country Club and The Reef in Visayas region; the Royal 2 in San Pedro, Laguna and illegal online activities at the Southwoods Mall.
The official said in Metro Manila, the suspect is believed to have been operating illegal online activities in many parts of Pasay, Parañaque, Manila, Makati and Mandaluyong cities.
“The sheer breadth of Lyu Dong’s operations illustrates, not just individual criminal activities but rather a systemic issue that requires robust intervention,” Usec. Cruz added.
The arrest of Lyu Dong came just days after the Office of the Ombudsman suspended Porac, Pampanga Mayor Jaime Capili, Vice Mayor Francis Tamayo and some councilors in connection with the POGO raid last June.
The suspension was ordered by the Ombudsman following a complaint from the Department of Interior and Local Government regarding the alleged failure of the Porac municipal officials to appropriately act on the illegal POGO hub in their area.