Former House quad-committee (quad-comm) overall chairman Robert Ace Barbers has highlighted reports that some former Philippine Offshore and Gaming Operators (POGO) continue to conduct “guerrilla-style” scam operations in various parts of the country.

With this, Barbers called on local authorities to intensify efforts to locate and arrest more than 11,000 former POGO workers believed to be scattered across the Philippines.

The former three-term Surigao del Norte congressman identified these alleged areas of clandestine operations as Baclaran, Binondo, and Parañaque in Metro Manila; Palawan in Luzon; and Cebu in the Visayas.

“Authorities have successfully arrested and deported some Chinese nationals involved in illegal activities, but many are still believed to be operating across the country,” Barbers said.

He warned that many unaccounted-for Chinese nationals linked to POGOs may have remained in the Philippines and could pose a national security threat.

“As revealed during the House quad committee hearings, some Chinese nationals connected to POGO operations have adopted new schemes, including acquiring Filipino birth certificates and government-issued IDs, establishing businesses using questionable documents, and embedding themselves in local communities,” said the Nacionalista Party (NP) stalwart.

He stressed that these POGO remnants should remain a priority for law enforcement and intelligence agencies because of reports suggesting that some may be operating as sleeper agents under various civilian covers.

“There are reports that some of these individuals have been deployed in different parts of the country, particularly in strategic areas such as Palawan, using various fronts or cover operations,” he said.

Barbers noted that such operations would require substantial funding, similar to what was uncovered during the quad committee hearings, where Chinese-backed POGO operators acquired and developed multi-billion-peso compounds through cash transactions with little financial traceability.

Citing the book Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins, Barbers said foreign actors often rely on local collaborators to advance economic and political interests that could influence national policies and strategic decisions.

Although he commended the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and Philippine National Police (PNP), for continuing operations against illegal offshore gaming activities, failure to sustain such enforcement efforts could allow some foreign nationals to acquire Filipino identities through fraudulent means, as with the case of former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.

He further cited the case of Chinese national Willy Ong, which was discussed during the quad-comm hearings, involving allegations of the use of questionable documents to establish a real estate company and acquire hundreds of properties in Central Luzon and Metro Manila.

“We must remain vigilant. National security requires continuous monitoring and enforcement against individuals who may be exploiting our systems and institutions for purposes contrary to our national interest,” Barbers said.