Over 9,000 POGO workers remain at large in PH — PAOCC

Months since POGOs were banned in the country, more than 9,000 former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers remain at large in the Philippines, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said Monday.

“So, due to the overcrowding, enforcement actions against the estimated 9,000 — ito po po yung kailangan hulihin natin. These are more than 9,000 illegal foreign workers  — have been temporarily suspended,” PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz said during the last hearing of the House Quad Committee (QuadComm).

(So, due to the overcrowding, enforcement actions against the estimated 9,000 — these are the ones we need to apprehend — have been temporarily suspended. These are more than 9,000 illegal foreign workers.)

According to Cruz, their operations were temporarily suspended due to overcrowding at the PAOCC’s detention facility in Pasay City. He said PAOCC conducted 

Cruz said there are currently over 600 foreigners detained at the facility.

“Many detainees still cannot be deported due to missing passports. Ito po ‘yung problema natin, sir. ‘Yung mga walang passports, because ‘yung mga foreign nationals na nagtatrabaho po sa POGO mga tinanggalan po ng passports ‘yan at ‘yan, pakalat-kalat po ngayon dito sa Pilipinas,” Cruz said.

(Many detainees still cannot be deported due to missing passports. This is our problem, sir. Those without passports, because many of the foreign nationals who worked in POGOs had their passports taken from them, are now scattered all over the Philippines.)

Cruz said the detainees have been diagnosed with tuberculosis, hepatitis B, respiratory infections, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

“Actually, sir, dito po kami nalulumpo. Just three weeks ago, nagpa-cremate po tayo ng isang HIV victim,” Cruz said.

(Actually, sir, this is where we are paralyzed. Just three weeks ago, we had to cremate an HIV victim.)

PAOCC spends P2 million every month for the detainee’s food, healthcare, and medical needs, according to the executive director. 

He recommended the creation of a centralized database for monitoring illegal operations and sharing real-time intelligence. He said local government units should also be trained and equipped to detect hidden POGOs following their shift to guerilla operations. 

Aside from this, he said the deportation process must also be improved through close coordination with foreign embassies while regional cooperation must be pursued more actively.

“Lastly, a nationwide public information campaign is needed to raise awareness about illegal offshore gaming operations and scam operations.  As well as the role of community reporting in stopping these activities,” Cruz said.

“This is not only about removing illegal businesses but also about protecting the country's integrity. ensuring public safety, and demonstrating to the world that the Philippines will not be a safe haven for crime,” he added.

Cruz said authorities arrested 750 foreign nationals in 10 major raids in 2025.

Due to their operations, Cruz said some POGOs moved their operations to the Visayas and Mindanao as well as Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. He said there are also reports that some relocated to Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and the Republic of Vanuatu. 

Arrest

Meanwhile, Manila Representative Benny Abante wants an “all government approach” in the arrest of the undocumented aliens. 

“Dapat itong PAOCC, NBI, BI, maganda pag-usapan dito ang all government approach. Magsama-sama na at hulihin itong mga taong ito na pakalat-kalat na later on na magbibgay ng sakit sa ating mga kababayan,” said Abante.

(The PAOCC, NBI, and BI should coordinate for an all government approach. They should work together for their arrests.)

“Hulihin sila, i-quarantine, ilagay dun sa mga facilities habang sila ay naghihintay madeport,” he added. 

(They should be arrested and quarantined while awaiting deportation.)

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gregorio Catapang Jr. said the illegal aliens to be nabbed by the NBI and BI may be temporarily detained at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) while awaiting deportation proceedings. He said their facilities may house 100 detainees from the NBI and 500 from the BI. 

“It’s already done and they can put their detainees there,” Catapang Jr. said. 

Abante likewise  proposed the use of Fort Magsaysay — originally built as a mega-drug rehabilitation center — to serve as an additional detention center for the illegal POGO workers. 

“My proposal is that these government agencies involved should all come together as an all government approach to finally arrest these people that are ‘pakalat-kalat’ including those who are all owners of small POGO hubs,” the lawmaker said

“Lahat yan ay illegal na ngayon and I would even think that the LGUs that gave them permits should be prosecuted properly,” he added. 

(All of them are illegal workers now and I would even think that the LGUs that gave them permits should be prosecuted properly.)

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. banned all POGOs in the country effective on July 22, 2024 after raids against illegal POGOs revealed equipment used for torture, love scams, and other crimes.

PSA requirements

Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said it has implemented stricter requirements for those applying for late birth registrations.

According to the PSA, they imposed additional requirements to late birth registrations  through PSA memorandum circular 2014-17.

The PSA said this includes the personal appearance of the registrant during the application process. The agency said the registrant must also be registered in the national ID system, and they will be registered if they are not.

This came following the controversial case of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, who obtained her birth certificate through late registration. 

Guo has been identified by the Philippine government as Chinese national Guo Hua Ping after the National Bureau of Investigation confirmed that the former mayor and Guo Hua Ping have the same fingerprints. 

She is facing a qualified trafficking case before a Pasig court, a graft case before a Valenzuela court, and a material misrepresentation case before a Tarlac court. 

A quo warranto petition was also filed against Guo with a Manila court, as well as a petition to cancel her birth certificate before a Tarlac court.

Guo is currently detained at the Pasig City Jail. — RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News