SOME 5,099 individuals have been arrested across the country for involvement in various cybercrimes, the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) reported yesterday.
During the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing, ACG director Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang said some of those arrested are former employees of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered a ban on all POGOs in July last year amid the growing number of POGO-related criminal activities like kidnapping, killing, human trafficking and scams.
“For 2025, from January to mid-June, we have already arrested 5,099 individuals due to various offenses online, we can call these cybercrime cases,” said Yang.
Citing ACG data, Yang said the majority of the arrested suspects are males, jobless and their ages range from 20 to 30.
He said charges have been filed against the suspects, adding that 116 of them have been convicted.
In an earlier interview at Camp Crame, Yang said 608 of the suspects — seven of them foreigners — were arrested in entrapment operations.
During the public briefing, Yang said the ACG is looking into the recent deepfake of the President showing him promoting an online trading platform.
Yang said the ACG has already coordinated with Facebook “for the preservation of the data” which is needed in the conduct of the investigation.
The video was posted on the Facebook page Inquirer PH Insider.
“We have also requested the takedown of that video,” said Yang.
In Camp Crame, he said: “We have taken action. For sure, we are going to get the people behind that video.”
Yang said the ACG is conducting the probe in coordination with the social media platform.
