POGO’ hotel worker tries to smuggle cash: Arrested with P8 million

CEBU, Philippines — A worker at Tourist Garden Hotel resort in Lapu-Lapu City that was raided last Saturday for allegedly hosting a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub was arrested yesterday after trying to smuggle out P8 million in cash.

She would join the ranks of 16 foreign nationals and a Filipino who would be facing criminal complaints in relation to the raid.

Yesterday, the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI)-7 filed the complaints against the said foreign nationals and the Filipino before the Department of Justice for qualified trafficking in persons.

They were among those who were “rescued” in Brgy. Agus, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu during the raid, which was conducted after three Indonesians managed to escape and inform the Indonesian Embassy.

It was also learned that the Bureau of Immigration, after conducting inquest proceedings of the 169 rescued foreign nationals the other night, have filed a separate complaint of violation of immigration laws, such overstaying or being an undocumented alien and working without a valid permit.

The BI, however, did not provide any documents to the media as of yesterday.

NBI-7 Regional Director Renan Augustus Oliva, in an interview with The Freeman, yesterday said that Filipino Zandrew Magdaluyo Cantarona and the 168 foreign nationals were brought to Presidential Anti-Crime Operation Commission in Manila yesterday for their physical custody or detention on board a C130 cargo plane.

The 16 individuals charged were Zhao, Shao Qi alias “Lao Fan”; Zhao, Long alias “Xiao Long”; Yang, Teng Da; Ke, Rong Mou alias “Jordan” “Lang Mao” “Yuki”; Ji, Hui alias “Xiao Xi”; Hu, Yonghong; Dai, Chun Lin; and Zhong, Donglin alias “Edison” “Xiao Hei”; Luo, Peng alias “Alang”; Ma, Yi; Shen, Wen Xia alias “Xi Xi”; Zhuang, Jian Guo alias “Wang Fang”; and Wen, Qi Zhen, all of whom were of legal ages and are Chinese nationals; and Lona Halim alias “Grace;” and Joni alias “Gio;” both Indonesian nationals; and Myanmar national Thwe Thwe San.

Cantarona was also recommended for inquest proceeding as an accessory to the crime, as he was bringing with him the passports of at least 50 of the rescued Indonesians.

“With the information that, around noon time of 3 September 2024, the abovementioned respondents were officially placed under arrest by the Operatives of NBI, after they were also officially arrested by the Officers of the Bureau of Immigration. The Operatives of NBI were able to ascertain that indeed the abovementioned respondents committed the crime of qualified trafficking in persons, in conspiracy with one another inside the compound of Tourist Garden Hotel, Agus, Lapu-lapu City, Cebu,” read the part of the complaint sheet

“On the other hand. respondent Zandrew Magdaluyo Cantarona, is placed under arrest at around 6:00 PM of 2nd September 2024 when he acted as an accessory of the crime of Qualified Trafficking in Persons,” it added.

Oliva said four Filipina witnesses will also be under the custody of PAOCC and would be put under the Witness Protection Program.

He said one foreign national, who is a minor, is currently in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7.

Oliva further said that they are also conducting an investigation into money laundering activities in relation to the recent POGO raid.

In their 16-page joint judicial affidavit of arrest, Agapito Gierran and Bienvenido Panican, both organic personnel of NBI-7, said that their office in Mandaue City received a letter from Hon. Mary Frances Manug-Daquipil requesting to take custody and give shelter to two Indonesian nationals who were complainants for slight illegal detention against a Chinese national and his Filipina wife.

On July 31, NBI National Director Jaime Santiago also received a letter from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia requesting “kind assistance and to take necessary measures in protecting the rights of Indonesian nationals as well as immediate investigation towards the report."

It was alleged that the Indonesians were tortured and forced to work as scammers, while being prevented from leaving the company's premise and from communicating with the outside world.

Both Gierran and Panican initially conducted interviews of the two Indonesian nationals they found out that a lot of them that are still being held by the Chinese nationals and that they are also being forced to work against their will inside Tourist Hotel Resort.

They narrated that the two Indonesians told them that there were at least 40 other Indonesians that are still deprived of their liberty by the Chinese nationals.

Gierran and Panican also learned that the Indonesian nationals were recruited to work as Customer Care Representatives (CCR) here in the Philippines.

“Unfortunately, they ended up in a POGO Hub named XIN TIAN DI GOU JI GROUP in Clark, Angeles City in Pampanga,” they said, and were allegedly forced or intimidated into working as “scammers” dealing non-existent securities, which is referred to as a Boiler Room Operation”.

It was also established that the accused were operating love scams as well as investment scams and other cryptocurrency frauds.

During the raid last August 31, authorities confiscated computers, mobile phones, and other electronic devices.

Gierran and Panican also found out that this POGO hub where the Indonesians initially worked was raided by the police on June 04, 2024 due to the strict order of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to permanently stop all POGO operations nationwide.

The 40 Indonesians accompanied and their 12 Chinese bosses were able to escape and eventually transferred their illegal activities in Cebu at the LMSK Bldg., Mabolo, Cebu City last June 08, 2024, where they continued working with their POGO operation.

Gierran and Panican also learned that the Indonesians were forced to perform scamming activities against their mostly their fellow Indonesians.

“While the Indonesians are working, armed guards were being deployed and their travel documents were being kept by their employer to prevent them from their escape,” they said.

Both also found out that on June 24, 2024, the illegal operation again transferred to another location, particularly in a four-story building located at No.23, Mango Green Subdivision, A.S. Fortuna Street, Mandaue City.

Under the watch of guards, the Indonesian nationals were allegedly again forced to work until Mandaue City Police Office Station 4 operatives the two Indonesians on July 24 from their Chinese boss identified as Jinjie Le and his live-in partner Aiza Vinculado Surigao.

Unfortunately, the POGO operation was immediately transferred two separate places—a residential building on ML Quezon national highway in Barangay Soong, Lapu-Lapu City and in St. Martin Village, A.S. Fortuna St., in Mandaue City.

On the evening of July 24, Gierran and Panican utilized the two referred Indonesians, together with another Indonesian who acted as their complainant, for surveillance.

On board their two organic vehicles, Gierran and Panican were guided to a residential building located on 808 SY Residence, ML Quezon in Soong, wherein the Indonesians positively identified three Filipinos who were seen coming in and out of the premises.

On that very evening also, both observed that large cable internet wires connections were visibly seen outside the premises, indicating the existing POGO activities inside.  Gierran and Panican said that observed no significant POGO activity in a condominium building in St. Martin Village.

“According to the male caretaker that we interviewed, the POGO operations had transferred to Tourist Garden Hotel in Agus Road, Agus, Lapu-Lapu City,” they said.

On August 29, 2024, Gierran, Panican, together with another NBI-7 organic personnel conducted surveillance inside the Tourist Garden Hotel, wherein they pretended as costumers checking promo rates at the hotel, and observed several Indonesian and Chinese nationals there.

Afterwhich, they coordinated the matter to the Indonesian Consulate-Manila, BI, Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking Regional Office 7(1ACAT-7), Presidential Anti Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), and the Department of Social Welfare Development Office-7 for a possible joint rescue operation.

Meanwhile, the BI secured a mission order from its head office to enforce their visitorial power on 808 SY residence and on Tourist Garden Hotel, considering that their subjects are all foreign nationals.

On the early morning of August 31, armed with a BI mission order, authorities conducted simultaneous rescue operations on the 808 SY Residence and in Tourist Garden Hotel.

While no one was found in the 808 SY Residence, they conducted a successful operation inside Tourist Garden Hotel, rescuing 69 Indonesians, 93 Chinese, six   Myanmas, and one Malaysian.

As to the arrested worker, NBI Agent-in-charge Arnel Pura disclosed in a press conference last Tuesday the money was intentionally put by Chinese national Zhao Shao Qi together with rice and cooking oils.

But since the NBI implemented strict security measures, the money, which were in P1,000 bills, was discovered inside “carton box”.

Pura said the amount was part of proceeds from the POGO operation.

Oliva likewise said that cases of human trafficking are also tied with money laundering activities

Pura said they are planning to make the female worker as a witness since she has no motive on the money.

“Ang tag-iya (Zhao) tungod kay dad-on sila anytime pa-Manila, gipangtagaan silag bugas kay kono para di madaot. It turned out nga ang P8 million gibutang didto,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cantarona also indeed up behind bars because he arrived at the hotel bringing with him the 51 passports of Indonesian nationals who were among tho 169 rescued.

As a result, Cantarona also underwent inquest proceedings for being an accessory to human trafficking because he was found in possession of the passports, which serve as crucial evidence in proving the complaint.

“We have all the reasons to believe that he’s one of those recruiters who caused the trafficking of these Indonesian victims numbering about 69 all in all,” said Pura.

“When they (Indonesians) came here, their passports were taken from them so they cannot freely get out of the country,” said Oliva.

He said that the salaries promised to the Indonesians when they were recruited were not fulfilled when they came to the Philippines.

Last Tuesday, at around 11 p.m., the BI completed filing criminal complaints against the 169 foreign nationals for staying in the country without proper documentation and working without valid visas. Additionally, 16 of them were charged with violating R.A. 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003).

“Documentary and testimonial evidence prove that they were actively operating this kind of business,” said Oliva.

He said, though, that the five Filipinos from Porac, Pampanga who were initially arrested, would be used as witnesses against the 16 Chinese nationals.

The resort, consisting of twelve structures; and several vehicles are now under an Asset Preservation Order managed by the country’s Anti-Money Laundering Council. — /RHM (FREEMAN)