CEBU CITY – The National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) on Thursday, September 5, served two search warrants on a hotel in Lapu-Lapu City where a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub was uncovered.
A GROUP of foreign nationals who were caught in a suspected Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators hub in Lapu-Lapu City during a raid last weekend board a military aircraft on their way to Manila on Wednesday, September 4. (Screengrab from NBI 7 video)
Lawyer Renan Oliva, NBI-7 director, said the purpose of the two search warrants was to gather more evidence from the Tourist Garden Hotel in Barangay Agus.
Seized during the serving of the warrants were computers, cell phones, and a vault. The search in the two buildings inside the compound were still ongoing as of posting time.
The NBI-7 has filed charges for qualified trafficking in person against the 16 foreign nationals who were apprehended when the hotel was raided on Saturday, August 31.
Charged were Chinese nationals Zhao, Shao Qi, alias “Lao Fan”; Yang, Teng Da; Ke, Rong Mou, alias “Jordan”; Ji, Hui, alias “Xiao Xi”; Hu, Yonghong; Dai, Chun Lin; Zhong, Donglin, alias “Edison”; Luo, Peng, alias “Alang”; Ma, Yi; Shen, Wen Xia, alias "Xi Xi”; Zhuang, Jian Guo, alias “Wang Fang”; and Wen, Qi Zhen.
Indonesian nationals Lona, Halim “Grace,” and Joni, alias “Gio” and Burmese national San, Thwe Thwe were also charged.
Zandrew Magdaluyo Cantarona, a Filipino, was also charged for being an accessory to the crime after he was caught carrying 51 passports of the rescued Indonesian nationals when he arrived at the suspected Pogo hub on Tuesday.
A Filipino hotel worker will also be charged after he was caught trying to sneak out a box containing P8 million believed to be proceeds of the POGO hub.
A total of 169 foreign nationals were caught in the hub when the raiding team arrived. The foreigners were charged by the Bureau of Immigration for working in the Philippines without a visa.
Those who were arrested were allegedly involved in internet-based scams.
The arrested and rescued foreign nationals were transported to Manila on board a C-130 turboprop military aircraft.
While the NBI-7 continues to conduct case build-up, Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard Chan issued an order and desist order against the hotel.