No Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) have been monitored in Western Visayas, according to Police Regional Office 6 Spokesperson Colonel Arnel Solis.
Solis has encouraged the public to report any suspicious activities related to illegal online gambling activities.
“It is part of our intelligence operatives’ tasks to monitor and determine if illegal activities are occurring in an area,” Solis explained.
Solis clarified that a cybercrime operation conducted by the Iloilo City Police Office in November 2023, which resulted in the arrest of 17 Chinese nationals, was unrelated to POGOs.
Should any POGO activities be detected in Western Visayas, the Police Regional Office 6, along with national support units like the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Regional Anti-Cyber Crime Unit, are prepared to take action.
Solis emphasized the significant role the public can play in providing information, especially in areas with limited law enforcement presence.
The public is encouraged to report suspicious activities to nearby police stations.
Additionally, 25 percent (or 3,250) of the 13,000 police personnel in Western Visayas will be allocated to the Negros Island Region (NIR) once it is officially established.
Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, Director of PRO Western Visayas, noted that this percentage already serves the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office and Bacolod City Police Office.
Wanky highlighted that the establishment of the NIR will aid the Philippine National Police (PNP) management by reducing the administrative burden and creating another regional office for Negros Island provinces.