AUTHORITIES raided a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) firm in Bamban, Tarlac yesterday morning and rescued over 800 victims of human trafficking, including foreigners.
Personnel from the PNP, Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission, and AFP swooped down at the Zun Yuan Technology Inc in Sitio Pag-asa, Barangay Anupul in Bamban at around 1:30 a.m. on the strength of two search warrants issued by Bulacan Executive Judge Hermenegildo Dumlao.
The warrants were issued due to alleged trafficking in persons and serious illegal detention activities allegedly committed by officials of the POGO firm.
Police said the operation stemmed from a complaint filed by a Vietnamese who managed to escape from the firm’s premises last February 28.
A Malaysian also sought the assistance of the PAOCC, claiming he was being held against his will inside the compound of the POGO firm.
An initial inventory revealed there were 371 Filipinos, 432 Chinese, eight Malaysians, 57 Vietnamese, three Taiwanese, two Rwandans at the compound.
Police said the 875 workers are being interviewed for “profiling purposes.”
Bureau of Immigration personnel are also set to check the immigration documents of the foreign workers.
Seized during the raid were three shotguns, three handguns and ammunition.
“Moreover, operatives were able to find scripts similar to the love scam modus found in other raided POGO/IGL (Internet Gaming Licensee) hubs,” a report from the PAOCC said.
“In addition, rows of Android smartphones and iPhones have also been recovered with possible scam transactions,” it added.
