29 foreigners in POGO firm rescued from alleged abuse, trafficking

Twenty-nine foreigners working for a Philippine offshore gaming operator have been rescued in Parañaque.

In a statement, the PNP said the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management said the POGO workers were victims of human trafficking for forced labor.

They were 23 Myanmar citizens and six Chinese.

They were rescued after two Myanmar citizens, who were turned over to PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group on September 22, told authorities about the human trafficking activity.

They also told investigators that their relative and other Myanmar citizens were left in the same company and were still being forced and exploited to work as online scammers, the police said.

The victims are now in the custody of the PNP Women and Children’s Protection Center and are awaiting medical examination and antigen testing before their transfer to a government shelter.

“With these recent developments, we would like to emphasize that the PNP is operating continuously and we appreciate information being relayed by the community on the presence of suspicious POGO operations,” DIDM chief Police Major General Eliseo Cruz said. —NB, GNA News