The Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) is investigating a possible internal leak after a raid on the Lucky South 99 Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) compound in Porac, Pampanga, the agency's spokesperson, Winston John Casio, said on Thursday1. The raid on Wednesday resulted in the arrest of 158 Chinese, Vietnamese and Malaysian nationals, far fewer than the expected 1,0001.
Casio said all members of the different government agencies who participated in the operation have been subjected to investigation, including himself1.
"Someone, somewhere, in the long chain of government or in the process of applying for the search warrant leaked this particular information."
Accounts of the arrest count differ within the same report.
- One passage says the raid resulted in the arrest of 158 Chinese, Vietnamese and Malaysian nationals1.
- Another says a total of 157 foreigners suspected to be POGO workers were caught leaving the compound of Lucky South 99 just as authorities were about to conduct a "welfare check"1.
- Casio separately said only over 140 individuals were arrested during the operation out of the over 1,000 foreign nationals believed to be working in the POGO hub, described as the biggest in Porac, Pampanga1.
Casio said the compound was already empty when the PAOCC team arrived.
"We arrived on June 4, the entire complex was dark, closed, and no one was inside the facility anymore,"
Authorities believe large numbers of POGO workers and company officials were able to escape before the PAOCC team reached the site1. Casio said he could hazard a guess that they simply relocated to other scam farms all over Central Luzon and Metro Manila1. The development alarmed senators Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatchalian, the latter of whom believes Chinese syndicates have already infiltrated the country's court system; the Supreme Court has vowed to investigate this allegation1.
What it means for players
The raid targeted a POGO compound, the licensed offshore gaming sector that serves customers abroad rather than domestic bettors. The arrests involved foreign nationals identified as suspected POGO workers, not players1. The reported escape of most of the workforce means the people authorities were looking for may now be operating elsewhere in Central Luzon and Metro Manila, according to the PAOCC1. For anyone in the Philippines assessing where online gambling offers come from, the case illustrates how operations tied to offshore gaming can move between sites. General guidance on identifying fraudulent sites 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 PAOCC investigation into the leak is underway, covering all government agency personnel who participated in the operation1. The Supreme Court has vowed to investigate Gatchalian's allegation that Chinese syndicates have infiltrated the court system1. No further dates have been reported.
