The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has rescued 34 Indonesians from an alleged Chinese-run Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) hub in Pasay City.
The PAOCC said it received information from an Indonesian national who said he was being held against his will inside the Kanlaon Tower, a condominium building along Roxas Boulevard.
The PAOCC, together with the Southern Police District and in coordination with the Indonesian Embassy, rescued 34 Indonesians from the said building where the alleged Pogo hub is located.
Winston Casio, spokesperson for the PAOCC, said authorities also arrested a Chinese woman identified as Liu Meng, together with two unidentified Chinese nationals and one Malaysian.
“The 34 Indonesians said they were all Pogo workers before. Supposedly their contract was terminated last Jan. 21,” Casio said.
“They already signified their intention to leave for Indonesia. But then their boss, Liu Meng, refused and took their passports. So this is a clear case of human trafficking,” he added.
The rescued Indonesians and the Chinese suspects were brought to the PAOCC custodial facility in Pasay City for their immigration biometrics.
Casio said 13 of the rescued Indonesians have stated their desire to file criminal complaints against Liu.
Authorities, according to Casio, also rescued on Feb. 13, Wang Ye Fu, a Chinese national who was detained in a separate condominium building in Parañaque City by Liu and his cohorts.
Wang had visible torture marks when he was rescued at the unnamed condominium where three other Chinese nationals were arrested.
Wang told reporters he was kidnapped on Feb. 12 in Pasay City after he got out of detention from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Parañaque City. He was earlier detained for being allegedly involved in a separate kidnapping case.
