Government agencies are going after a syndicate recruiting Filipinos to work in offshore gaming operations in Laos, a Cabinet official said.
Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac disclosed that the DMW, Department of Justice (DOJ), and law enforcement agencies have launched an investigation against the syndicate which was uncovered by Philippine Ambassador to Laos Deena Joy Amatong.
Amatong has sent home several Filipinos engaged in offshore gaming operations, Cacdac said.
While the DMW chief was in Laos as part of the Philippine delegation led by President Marcos for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, Cacdac said he was informed by Amatong that she sent home 160 Filipinos working in offshore gaming operations.
“At patuloy ang pagma-manman ng sitwasyon sa mga POGO workers. Mayroon pa kaming naiwan doon na mga POGO workers na tinutulungan pa rin nila Ambassador Amatong (And the surveillance of the situation on POGO workers continues. There are still POGO workers remaining there that are being assisted by Ambassador Amatong),” Cacdac said in a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Cacdac said they are collecting the statement of each Filipino worker rescued from Laos in a bid to identify the recruiter.
“At tingin ko mahalaga dito iyong pagsugpo niyan, e (I think it is crucial to dismantle this). Kaya (So) we were working closely also with the DOJ," he said.
"Kada uwi ng mga pinapauwi ni Ambassador ay kinukunan natin ng statement sa ating Anti-Illegal Recruitment unit. At ‘pagkakuha natin ng statement, may tinukoy silang Philippine element or Philippine recruiter and na-sumbit natin kaagad. Ini-endorse natin kaagad sa DOJ for the appropriate filing of complaints sa piskalya (Every time there are workers going home, the Anti-Illegal Recruitment unit are getting their statements. After getting their statements, they are citing a Philippine element or Philippine recruiter and we submitted it immediately. We endorsed it immediately to the DOJ for appropriate filing of complaints to the fiscal),” he said.