PAOCC’s director said the majority of illegal offshore gaming hubs are located in Pasay, Parañaque and Makati.
The Philippines.- The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) is considering legal action against officials in Pasay City due to the continued operation of illegal offshore gaming operators. During a press briefing on Wednesday (February 19), Winston Casio, director and spokesperson for PAOCC, said that the southern part of Metro Manila, including Pasay, Parañaque, and Makati, remained a hotspots for illegal offshore gaming operators.
According to the Philippine News Agency, the PAOCC is gathering evidence against local government units (LGUs) after raids on offshore gaming operators in their areas and investigating whether officials might be responsible for allowing the operations to continue. Casio did not mention any probe for Parañaque or Makati.
He said: “The very first raid that we conducted was SA Rivendell, which was in P. Zamora; the second was Zun Yuan Technology which is in corner FB Harrison and William Street, also in Pasay. We also conducted a raid in Kimberhi Technology, which is also in Pasay, that’s the 3D Analyser offshore gaming operator. We also conducted lately a raid inside Heritage Hotel in Pasay.”
He added: “We’re taking a look at the possible culpability, criminal liability of LGU officials, primarily those in the issuances of the mayor’s permit, the BPLO (Business Permit and Licensing Office) certificates, the business permit so to speak. So, we have not yet reached a conclusion, together with the Department of Justice and the DILG on how to proceed, but the case build-up is already ongoing. It’s there.”
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Sandoval has said that 11,254 foreign offshore gaming workers are still in the country despite the government’s order for them to leave. Sandoval said the workers are mainly from Vietnam, China, Indonesia, and Myanmar. They have been included in the BI’s derogatory records and face deportation and blacklisting.
Sandoval clarified that the figure includes only workers who used to work for legal offshore gaming operators that had to close, not operators that were always illegal.
According to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), there are about 33,863 foreign nationals employed by registered offshore gaming operators, but only 22,609 have left the country. Those remaining are now considered illegal aliens.
Sandoval reported that about 518 foreign offshore gaming workers have been arrested in four significant operations this year. Sandoval said: “On January 8, we had operations in Parañaque which yielded to the arrest of 450 foreign nationals; January 15 in Silang, Cavite, 29 foreign nationals; January 17 in Parañaque, 33 foreign nationals; and February 17 in Pasay City, six foreign nationals.”
PAOCC’s director said the majority of illegal offshore gaming hubs are located in Pasay, Parañaque and Makati. The Philippines.- The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) is considering legal action against…
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