Authorities arrested 401 foreign workers at an alleged Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) scam hub operating in a 10-storey building near Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City on Wednesday, February 26, 20251. The Pasay City government led the raid with operatives from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), the Department of Justice Office of Cybercrime (DOJ-OOC) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC)1.
The PAOCC gave the breakdown of foreign nationals apprehended as follows1:
| Nationality | Number arrested |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 207 |
| Vietnamese | 132 |
| Korean | 24 |
| Indonesian | 14 |
| Myanmar | 12 |
| Malaysian | 11 |
| Madagascar | 1 |
PAOCC also said 52 Filipino workers were found in the scam hub1. Some were arrested while trying to escape through the building's fire exit, while others were caught hiding in comfort rooms and air conditioning ducts1. The Pasay Business Permits and Licensing Office said the company occupying the 6th to 10th floors had no business permit or business license from the Pasay City government, which was the basis for the mission order used to enter the premises1.
Authorities found computers, various gadgets, thousands of local SIM cards and multiple text blasters1. Initial findings of the DOJ-OOC indicate that several scams were being employed in the facility, including love scams and investment scams1. Lists of Filipino names and corresponding amounts received via local e-wallets were found on some computers, with amounts including around P5,000, P20 and P701. The DOJ-OOC said this indicates Filipinos, not only foreigners, may have fallen victim to the alleged scam hub1.
The Pasay local government unit immediately issued a closure order and closed down the establishment following various violations1. PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said:
"Obviously itong grupo ng mga mag-po-POGO na ito, harap-harapan nang binabastos ang mga batas natin. Masyado na silang garapal despite may closure order na sila from PAGCOR ay nag ooperate pa rin sila ng full blast"
What it means for players
The raid points to scam operations that targeted people inside the Philippines, not only abroad. The DOJ-OOC said lists of Filipino names and e-wallet amounts were found on computers at the site, which it read as evidence that local residents were among the victims1. The scams identified at the facility were love scams and investment scams, not licensed gambling products1. The building had no business permit or license from the Pasay City government, and the operator had a prior PAGCOR closure order yet continued operating, according to officials1. For anyone in the Philippines who receives unsolicited messages pushing investments or relationships, the equipment seized, including thousands of SIM cards and text blasters, indicates how such messages are sent at scale1. The Philippines has banned POGOs, and the gambling scams page covers how fraudulent operations work. General guidance on scam compounds and how to report them is also available, along with an overview of gambling in the Philippines.
What happens next
The Bureau of Immigration has been asked to check the legality of the foreigners' stay, including their passports and work visas, according to CIDG Director Police Major Gen. Nicolas Torre III1. Digital forensics will be done on the computers and gadgets once the necessary warrants have been secured1. PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said PAGCOR teams now go around weekly to make sure former POGO sites are closed, and that information from the public or tipsters is forwarded to the PAOCC1. No charges, court dates or deportation proceedings have been reported.
