Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Executive Director Gilbert Cruz confirmed authorities will permanently shut down the raided Makati building suspected of operating as an illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub.
Cruz said the building housed multiple rooms filled with computers, indicating ongoing operations despite the nationwide POGO ban.
Authorities discovered air conditioning still running on three floors but found no workers inside. Officials had expected to locate around 600 individuals.
“Makati’s licensing office is working to close all illegal POGO hubs in the city,” Cruz said.
The operation, conducted jointly by PAOCC and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on Thursday evening, followed reports of illegal POGO activity.
Armed with a mission order from the Makati local government, authorities inspected the building, suspecting that a closed Internet Gaming Licensee (IGL) was still operating.
Investigators noted that power breakers had been switched off, but rooms remained cool, and a kettle of tea was still warm. Desks were cluttered with computers, mobile phones, SIM cards, OTP generators, hard drives, and scripts allegedly used in investment scams, including cryptocurrency fraud.
“We discovered various scam scripts, including one for an Ethereum investment scheme,” Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Cybercrime Head Agent Inna Ladislao said in an interview.
“The presence of OTP generators indicates potential involvement in online wallet or bank account fraud,” she added.
A security logbook entry just two hours before the raid suggested the facility had been in active use. Witnesses also reported seeing workers fleeing the building around 4 or 5 p.m.
Authorities believe the operation housed around 600 individuals under 21 different companies, each registered under different names.
“The workers fled because they knew they were involved in something illegal. If they were operating legally, they would have stayed to explain themselves,” PNP-CIDG Director PMGEN Nicolas Torre III said.
Authorities are also probing how the operation was tipped off about the inspection.
“We found a memo warning about the raid, but we are still verifying its authenticity. We will reassess our tactics to improve future enforcement efforts,” Torre said.
Meanwhile, the building manager denied any knowledge of a POGO operation: “As far as I know, there is none. Our contracts and documents are in order.”