PNP hunts scam hub brains, financiers

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has ordered a follow-up operation to identify and arrest the financiers and masterminds behind a suspected underground scam hub found in Muntinlupa City.

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said investigators are focused on dismantling the crime ring and tracing its digital operations following a raid on a house in a village in Alabang on June 15.

“We will keep our operations sustained until we fully accomplish our mission,” Nartatez said.

The operation stemmed from the arrest of an alleged Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) employee who was wanted for violating the Access Devices Regulation Act and the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

During the operation, authorities discovered an alleged illegal online gaming hub being operated by 12 people.

Nine men and three women were arrested.

Police said the group was allegedly running several online gambling websites.

Verification with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) showed that the platforms were operating illegally following the government’s ban on POGOs.

Authorities seized computers, laptops, mobile phones, flash drives and other electronic devices, which are undergoing forensic examination to determine the extent of the network.

Nartatez said scam operations have shifted to smaller, clandestine setups following the crackdown on POGOs, prompting intensified intelligence and cybercrime operations.

The PNP is coordinating with Pagcor, local government units and other agencies to identify similar operations and their possible links nationwide.