73 Chinese nabbed in illegal POGO

SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela, Philippines — Seventy-three Chinese and three Filipinos were arrested for allegedly running an illegal online gambling operation at the economic zone in Sta. Ana, Cagayan on Tuesday night.

Police and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raided the online gambling operation at the Villa Saturnina Hotel and Resort in Barangay Rapuli, which resulted in the arrest of the suspects, according to Col. Ariel Quilang, Cagayan police director.

The raid was conducted based on a warrant issued by Judge Nicanor Pascual Jr. of the Regional Trial Court of Aparri.

The raiding team seized 103 laptop and desktop computers and other paraphernalia used in online gambling activities.

Quilang identified the manager of the online gambling hub as Frank Yu, who owns the OFA Cagayan Estate Developer Corp. based in the Cagayan economic zone.

Yu, who was not at the scene during the raid, reportedly used his company as a front for illegal online gambling activities, according to Brig. Gen. Crizaldo Nieves, Cagayan Valley police director.

The Chinese failed to present working permits, visas or passports, Nieves said.

The raid was conducted after the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority detected a high usage of internet data by Yu’s company at the Villa Saturnina, according to Raul Lambino, CEZA administrator and chief executive officer.

Yu’s online gambling operation violates CEZA’s rules on interactive gaming for offshore companies operating at the ecozone, Lambino said.