AFP looking into calls to consider POGO as threat to national security

From the Sun Star-Manila (Jun 11, 2024): AFP looking into calls to consider POGO as threat to national security (By Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo)

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is studying calls to consider the Philippine Online Gaming Operations (POGO) a threat to the country’s national security.

In a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said that AFP is in close coordination with concerned government agencies especially the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the conduct of probe and background checking on Chinese nationals who were arrested over involvement in illegal activities.

Last week, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested a Chinese national who yielded high-tech and military grade communication hacking equipment.

According to a source, found in the arrested Chinese man’s cellphone were photos of military camps.

Police said verification on the identity of the suspect is still ongoing amid concerns that he could be a “spy.”

Authorities also found a China People’s Liberation Army uniform during a raid in a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga, on Monday, June 10.

“We have the necessary units that is taking care of all of these reports that are being given,” said Padilla.

In a separate statement, Padilla said the presence of Chinese military uniforms may likely be used as props in these illicit online transactions.

“The limited number of PLA uniforms found suggests they are more indicative of use in deceptive activities rather than any preparation for an invasion,” she said.

“We do not want to cause unnecessary panic. Rest assured, the AFP is committed to protecting the people and securing the state. We are fully cooperating with PAOCC's ongoing investigation to clarify this matter,” she added.

The raid in the said POGO hub in Porac has resulted in the “rescue” of almost 200 individuals including Filipinos, Chinese nationals, Malaysian and Vietnamese, among others.

Four of the Chinese nationals were alleged victims of kidnapping. Some of them were even hand cuffed and showed torture marks during their rescue.

PNP Public Information Office Chief Colonel Jean Fajardo said the profiling of the foreign nationals is still ongoing where it will be identified if they are suspects or victims in the illegal POGO operations.

Currently, Philippine Navy spokesperson Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad said the AFP is looking into deeper connections of the POGO to other violations which may go beyond common crimes.

“What is happening is there is an increase in the monitored unusual incidents perpetuated by the presence of Chinese nationals, without saying yet these are risk to national security what we have seen are violations of simple or rather simple common crimes like the presence of high-powered firearms in their possession, high-end vehicles, high-end cars sports cars which do not have the appropriate permits from the appropriate govt agencies,” he said.

“This only indicates that everybody not only the military and the police and the security sector, it is everbody’s responsibility to be more conscious more aware of our security environment and as mentioned earlier if there is any reason to report to the appropriate government to please inform the appropriate govt agency not only the armed forces,” he added.

Last week, Senator Risa Hontiveros urged the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to declare the POGOs as a “threat” to national security considering its involvement in illegal activities such as cybercrimes, human trafficking and money laundering, among others.

The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality chaired by Hontiveros launched on May 7, 2024, its probe on the raided POGO hub, Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated (ZYTI) in Bamban, Tarlac in March which resulted in the rescue of 800 employees including around 500 foreigners, among of which were 427 Chinese nationals.

The raid stemmed from a complaint of one of its Vietnamese workers who escaped from the facility which is located in the 7.9-hectare property, owned by Baofu Land Development Inc., (BLDI), a few meters away from the Municipal Hall of Bamban in Tarlac.

It was allegedly involved in surveillance activities and hacking of government websites.

The discovery of the illegal activities in ZYTI has put Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo who is now being accused of being a Chinese spy.

On Tuesday, June 11, opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives filed a bill seeking to ban POGO in the country, noting the “crime syndicates” it has brought to the country.

The lawmakers noted that under Republic Act 11590, which was enacted in September 2021, only legitimized POGOs without considering harmful consequences given that gambling is illegal in China. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/afp-looking-into-calls-to-consider-pogo-as-threat-to-national-security