Foreigners attempting to revive Pogo hubs underground – PNP chief

MANILA, Philippines – Despite the nationwide ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo), foreign nationals are still attempting to revive the illegal business underground, the Philippine National Police acting chief, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, said on Monday.

“We are seeing a trend where some foreign nationals continue to try to set up underground operations despite the national ban. We are coordinating with the BI [Bureau of Immigration], NBI [National Bureau of Investigation], and DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs] to tighten monitoring,” Nartatez said in Filipino in a statement.

Nartatez then warned those who are making attempts at re-establishing secret Pogo hubs, saying, “If there are still individuals or groups planning to run POGO-like operations, they should stop because we will find you, we will shut you down, and we will file the strongest possible charges.”

“We will not allow the country to be used for illegal operations that undermine the security, economy, and reputation of the Philippines,” he added.

Alarmingly, some operators may be connected to or associated with larger criminal groups outside of the country, Nartatez added.

“Currently, there are strong indicators that some illegal Pogo or IGL [Internet Gaming Licensees] operators are connected to larger transnational cybercrime groups. This is not just simple illegal gambling. It is likely to involve online fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and other cyber-enabled crimes,” he went on.

With this, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is working with its foreign colleagues to investigate this possibility.

READ: 17 foreigners arrested in Taguig over Pogo operation

Nartatez stated this following the arrest of 12 Chinese, four Malaysian, and one Vietnamese for allegedly running a Pogo operation in Upper McKinley Hill, Taguig City.

During the arrest, the authorities discovered that the Pogo operation was posing as a business process outsourcing (BPO) and information technology (IT) solutions company, unaccredited by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

The PNP is also intensifying its efforts to shut down the illegal hubs, particularly in its intelligence and search efforts, as mandated in the president’s year-old executive order banning Pogos.

“The instruction to us is clear: Identify, validate, and shut down all the remaining Pogos, particularly those that hide behind the names of BPOs or IT solution companies. We have been complying, and we will continue to do so until all of them are gone,” Nartatez stated.

READ: BI deports 23 Chinese linked to illegal POGO ops, cyber fraud

On Oct. 23, the president signed into law the Anti-Pogo Act of 2025, which declares all offshore gaming operations in the country unlawful.

Under the law, operating or managing offshore gaming platforms, acting as a Pogo service provider, having or using Pogo-related tools, and concealing Pogo operations through fraud are all prohibited.

Those found guilty of violating the law may face up to 12 years imprisonment and a fine as high as P50 million, and public officials may face dismissal and disqualification from public service without retirement benefits. /atm