Lucky South 99, a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO), was raided twice by authorities in early June for human trafficking, torture, prostitution and scams, according to a Philstar.com report published on July 8, 20241. The raids were cited in the report as background to a separate National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) operation.
That NBI operation took place on a Saturday, when agents raided a clinic allegedly owned by a POGO firm in San Isidro, Makati1. Chinese medicines not registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were found at the clinic, according to NBI Director Jaime Santiago1. The clinic was not registered with the FDA and the Department of Health, according to NBI-Laguna District Office chief Edong Ramos1.
"We were able to seize their permits, which listed the establishment as a drugstore. However, they were operating as a hospital"
At least six people escaped from the clinic during the raid and two others jumped from the second floor, the report said1. Authorities failed to apprehend the fleeing Chinese, and those caught would be turned over to the Bureau of Immigration to determine their status, Santiago said1. Two Filipino doctors purportedly working at the clinic would be investigated for their roles in operating an unlicensed facility1. The NBI plans to charge suspects with violations of the FDA law and the Philippine Medical Act1.
The same day, in Porac, Pampanga, authorities discovered a clandestine indoor firing range and an underground tunnel inside an exclusive resort reportedly used by Chinese nationals running POGOs there and in Bamban, Tarlac1. Two Filipino incorporators of Whirlwind, Daniel Salcedo Jr. and Chona Alejandre, were found inside the two-hectare compound in Barangay Señora, presenting themselves as "mere employees"1. Whirlwind leases a 10-hectare property to Lucky South 991.
Executive Judge Robert Alexander Malig of the Regional Trial Court Third Judicial Region issued the search warrant against Katherine Cassandra Li Ong, Gheric Pagcu Manaloto and persons under their employ in three mansions in Barangay Señora for violating the anti-trafficking law1. A tunnel leads to a two-bedroom safehouse, said provincial board member Ananias Canlas Jr.1.
| Location | Finding |
|---|---|
| San Isidro, Makati | Clinic allegedly owned by a POGO firm; unregistered with FDA and DOH; unregistered Chinese medicines found |
| Porac, Pampanga | Indoor firing range and underground tunnel in a resort compound; Whirlwind leases 10 hectares to Lucky South 99 |
What it means for players
The report ties Lucky South 99 to human trafficking, torture, prostitution and scams, and describes an unlicensed clinic and a resort compound with a firing range and tunnel1. For anyone gambling in the Philippines, the practical point is that the enforcement activity described concerns the operations behind some offshore gaming firms, not the licensed retail casinos and e-gaming sites that most visitors and residents use. The report does not say whether Lucky South 99 held a valid license at the time of the June raids, and it does not describe any effect on player funds, withdrawals or accounts. Those details have not been reported. General guidance on identifying fake sites, rigged games and scam compounds, and on how to report them, is set out in Gambling Scams and Safety in Asia: Fake Sites, Rigged Games, Scam Compounds and How to Report. The legal position for players in the country is covered in Can I Gamble in the Philippines?.
What happens next
The NBI plans to charge suspects from the Makati clinic raid with violations of the FDA law and the Philippine Medical Act1. The clinic would be cordoned off until the following day, when the FDA would use its visitorial power and search the second floor, Santiago said1. The report does not state a date for the filing of charges, and no outcome of the June raids on Lucky South 99 is given1.
Sources1 sources
- NBI raids alleged POGO-owned clinic | Philstar.com, philstar.com
