Bureau of Immigration agents arrested 36 aliens in a massive raid of an illegal online gaming company at the Double Dragon Plaza Tower 3 in Pasay City.
According to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, an investigation was conducted after the bureau’s intelligence division received reports of aliens working without the appropriate permits in the area.
“We coordinated with PAGCOR and verified that this company is unlicensed and has no authority to operate,” Morente said.
It was learned that the company has no authority to operate and has not applied for any license with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, which is a requisite for online gaming companies to operate in the country.
BI Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said the company engaged in illegal live studio gambling, wherein the operators and management are composed mostly of Koreans.
“Apart from the live studio, they were also conducting illegal and clandestine online gaming operations,” Manahan said.
“We initially rounded up 40 individuals, but found four of them to be sufficiently documented, being permanent residents in the country. However, the other 36 were unable to present their passports and visas, and were caught in the act of working illegally,” he added.
Those arrested were 31 males and five females of various nationalities, two of which are Chinese, two Indonesians, and the rest are Koreans.
“We call on all foreigners to legalize your stay. Do not take advantage of the pandemic, because despite the challenges, our work never stops, and we will continue to arrest, deport, and blacklist any aliens who dare disobey our laws,” Morente said.