Despite a total ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), around 11,000 illegal workers are still operating scams in the country, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).
PAOCC Executive Director, Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, stated that the government could eliminate illegal POGO activities within a year. “It will be possible within the year… We are not stopping,” Cruz said in a televised interview. He explained that pursuing POGOs is a relatively new endeavor, requiring a new Executive Order.
President Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order No. 74 in November 2024, prohibiting POGOs and other offshore gaming operations. The order covers illegal offshore gaming, license applications, renewals, and operations.
Cruz noted that the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported 11,000 former POGO workers remain in the Philippines, scattered throughout the country. These individuals have not renewed or downgraded their visas and are operating without valid permits or licenses. They have transitioned from large POGO compounds to smaller-scale operations, including love scams.
“They are hiding in plain sight,” Cruz explained, noting that these foreign nationals often operate in locations like hotels or resorts where their presence appears normal. The PAOCC has also reported incidents of kidnapping and torture, with foreign victims being rescued.
The PAOCC is working with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) in its fight against illegal POGOs. They are monitoring areas in Northern Luzon, Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, and the Visayas.
Cruz addressed criticisms about slow deportations, explaining that clearances and records must be checked with the NBI and PNP. “If they have a case, we cannot just deport them,” he said. Many deported individuals lack passports, which are often confiscated by crime syndicates, further delaying the process. Suspected espionage cases are referred to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“The profit is big,” Cruz added, explaining the motivation behind these illegal activities.
The PAOCC meanwhile said a raid on a POGO workers’ dorm in Pasay City this week yielded 12 videos of torture at a scam center.
Cruz said the videos, recovered from arrested Chinese nationals, show victims being abused, including one man rescued after being abducted. Two Chinese nationals were arrested in that rescue, and a People’s Liberation Army uniform was also recovered. Cruz noted that some victims shown in the videos are still missing.
He warned that scam operations may be relocating to countries with weaker law enforcement, such as Cambodia, a move the raid disrupted. The PAOCC continues to monitor over 100 illegal POGO operations despite the presidential ban, noting that these operations have become more mobile, relying on laptops and Wi-Fi.