Six individuals who were arrested in the recent raid of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Pasay City were found to be Chinese fugitives, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said Tuesday.
According to PAOCC Senior Technical Advisor Winston John Romero Casio, they were informed by the Chinese Embassy that six of the Chinese nationals who were arrested in the raid had warrants of arrest for scams and fraud in China.
“May na diskubre silang anim na fugitives na meron mga outstanding warrants of arrest doon sa kanilang bayan (they discovered six fugitives that have outstanding warrants of arrest in their country),” Casio said in an ambush interview.
However, Philippine authorities would charge one of the fugitives with human trafficking and would not be turned over to Chinese law enforcement.
Meanwhile, another fugitive was identified as a torture victim.
“‘Yung isa naman po ay na identify namin bilang isa sa mga torture victims. Kaya’t hindi rin namin pwedeng iturn over sa Chinese Embassy sapagkat kinakaliangan po natin yung kanyang testimonya bilang isa sa mga witnesses at complainants laban dito sa anim na nandito ngayon,” he said.
(The other was identified as a torture victim. That’s why we can’t turn him over to the Chinese Embassy because we need his testimony as a witness and complainant against those here today.)
Authorities raided the hub on October 27 following reports of illegal activities, including sex trafficking, love, and crypto scams.
They also discovered various torture devices inside a room, including heavy-duty tasers, airsoft guns, baseball bats, and a wooden club. Also seen were several handcuffs attached to a metal bar on a wall.
Meanwhile, six individuals who faced complaints for violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act underwent a preliminary investigation on Tuesday.
Among them was a Filipino, an alias “Ramon,” who allegedly brought women to the “aquarium” in the POGO hub.
“Di umano ay isa sa mga nagdadala nung mga babae, tumatanggap ng mga babae mula sa labas at nagdadala doon sa na-identify nating aquarium. At di umano siya ay tumutulong doon sa pag faciliate, pag dadala hanggang doon sa mga customers nila,” Casio said.
(Allegedly, he was the one who brought women in, accepting women from outside and bringing them to the so-called aquarium. And allegedly, he was the one who was helping facilitate bringing them to their customers.)
However, in a separate interview, Ramon denied this.
“Wala po talaga akong kinalaman sa ganyan. Sana lumabas talaga ‘yung totoo kasi hindi ko alam bakit ako napasali sa ganito. Eh nag tra-trabaho lang ako ng maayos para lang din sa mag ina ko,” he said.
(I don’t have anything to do with that. I hope the truth will come out because I don’t know how I became involved in this. I am only working for my wife and child.)
“Taga-luto lang po talaga ako dyan. Wala na akong ibang ginagawa. Luto lang. Trabaho lang. Uwi sa bahay. Trabaho. ‘Yun lang. Pang araw-araw ko ‘yun na gawain.” he later added.
(I’m only a cook. I’m not doing anything else. I only cook. I only work. And then I go home. Work again. That’s all. That’s all I do every day.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News
