- NBI XI operation nets 58 foreigners in Panabo City
FIFTY-EIGHT foreign nationals and one Filipina were caught in a National Bureau of Investigation-Southern Eastern Mindanao raid on an alleged POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) hub in Barangay Manay, Panabo City, around 2 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 6.
NBI XI director Lawyer Archie Albao said that they arrested 55 Chinese nationals and three Malaysian nationals in the operation.
“We were surprised because siguro mga naka on na computer mga 60 in two rooms in two areas, and there are lots of cellphones, passports, IDs,” he said.
“And we also discovered handcuffs and baseball bats, and meron sila yun nga kasi meron mga ibang empleyado dito. By the way most of this Chinese Nationals from Manila eto lahat dinala dito dahil nagsirado yung POGO nila,” he added.
Based on the surveillance, the POGO hub only operated for about three months.
“Yung lugar is very discreet parang dating ginagamit parang agricultural bodega and eto ngayon parang pinalitan ng POGO operations,” Albao said.
Albao also said they already know the warehouse owner’s identity but they could not reveal the name yet pending investigation. Nonetheless, he confirmed the POGO operator, identified as Jinsheng International, only rented the space.
The Jiangsu Jinsheng International Industries Co,. Ltd is located in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province in China. It is a comprehensive and professional platform for international businesses by Jinsheng Group.
Albao also said not everyone they detained was a POGO operator since some worked as security and carpenters because the warehouse is still being modified to fit the needs of the company.
He said their primary objective was a rescue operation following a tip that a Malaysian national, Ruby Lim, was abducted and illegally detained in a warehouse in Panabo City.
However, they were unable to rescue the Malaysian national, who escaped along with a group of Chinese nationals, along with one believed to be the manager of the POGO operation.
He said they saw signs of abuse and torture in the area, which confirmed that the operators used force on the workers, including Ruby Lim.
“When we got to the area, na late lang siguro kami ng three minutes, nakaalis na yung two vehicles–one black Fortuner and one black Montero Sports,” NBI XI spokesperson Elias Leaño said.
Authorities confiscated passports, IDs, cellphones, weapons, handcuffs, a baseball bat and two shotguns. A hot pursuit operation is underway to apprehend the escapees.
For now, Albao said they will cooperate with the Bureau of Immigration to verify the identities of the foreigners and process their deportation. They would also check for pending criminal cases in the country.
Photo by Bing Gonzales
