Philippine National Police acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Monday intensified the police campaign against illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and Internet Gaming Licensees.
He said syndicates continue to find ways to operate despite the national ban.
Nartatez said intelligence-driven operations have been underway since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a nationwide POGO shutdown.
He stressed that all illegal operators will be identified, validated, and closed down.
He also confirmed emerging attempts by foreign nationals to revive underground hubs, prompting closer coordination with the Bureau of Immigration, NBI, and DFA.
Authorities have not ruled out links to transnational cybercrime groups, including possible involvement in fraud, money laundering, and identity theft.
Earlier this month, a CIDG-led operation in Taguig City resulted in the arrest of a Chinese national and the discovery of an illegal gaming hub posing as an IT-BPO firm, where 17 foreign nationals were detained and 83 Filipinos claimed they were misled into working there.
