Over POGO operation: Chan shuts down hotel

CEBU, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan ordered yesterday, September 2, 2024, the immediate shutdown of a hotel resort and five business establishments within its premises following a weekend raid that uncovered the illegal operation of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub.

Chan, along with personnel from the Lapu-Lapu City Legal Office and Treasurer’s Office, served a cease and desist order to Tourist Garden Hotel. The hotel, which has been operating since 2019, was reportedly functioning without a valid work permit and was involved in an “online scam” or POGO hub.

The resort hotel was raided on Saturday, August 31, 2024, resulting in the rescue of 169 foreign nationals.

“Because they are using their establishment, ang ilang gi lokat na permit diri, gigamit nila sa illegal na activities, so for that we will issue a cease-and-desist order,” Chan told reporters in a press conference, emphasizing the hotel management’s liability for allowing these illegal activities.

“Kay og imo rang himuong taming, himuon nimong front, niya gigamit nimo sa ilegal, sauna gigamit nimo legal but right now because of this nga naay ni apply sa ila, nisod na ang uban sa ilahang lugar na gamiton sa ilegal, that’s a different story. We need to close the said establishment,” Chan added.

Also served with the order for the “cessation of business operations” were Cyber Internet House Corporation; Nanyang Zhongjing Tobacco Corporation; Hwa Yan Realties Incorporated; Royal 1 Suwu KTV, Corp.; and ASEAN Gufeng International Trade Corp.

All of these businesses located inside the Tourist Garden Hotel have different owners and have a lease from the hotel, said Chan.

Also, the mayor stressed that all other permits issued to all six businesses in relation to the conduct of their business are likewise suspended.

Chan said that after the raid in Bamban town, Tarlac and Porac town in Pampanga, he was sure that there are POGO operations in Lapu-Lapu City.

“I’m pretty sure, because Lapu-Lapu is the gateway. Naa diri atong airport maoy pinakasayon na ilang dagsaan,” said Chan, as he disclosed that Lapu-Lapu City’s Business Inspection Board and the city police have detected areas and establishments in the city that might be operating as a POGO hub.

“Naa sa atong syudad. Mao nang ato-ang gimandoan ang atong kapolisan na we have identified

barangays na naay atong gidudahan mga suspetdado na naa sila diha,” said Chan.

From Lapu-Lapu City’s 30 barangays, Chan said that they have already identified suspected areas but they have yet to validate the report.

“These are things na need gyud nato i-validate og pag ayo. I couldn’t say kay basin unyag makabantay sila maunhan nato sila na mao ni na mga barangays,” said Chan.

The mayor, however, promised to get the validated data within a month.

“Akong ipasalig ninyo na within this month, kining mga gipang suspetsaan nato base sa pagpahigayon og ronda sa atong inspection team atong ning makuha,” Chan added.

According to Chan, the Business Inspection Board of the city also randomly inspects businesses and establishments. The board of the city is composed of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), City Treasurer, Office of the Building Official (OBO), City Engineering, Zoning, and City Health.

Peace and order

Prior to the POGO hub’s discovery in the city, Chan already ordered the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office to profile foreigners residing in subdivisions within the city’s jurisdiction.

Chan, who chairs the Regional Peace and Order Council, also said that they need enough gadgets to detect illegal activities in the city like POGO operations.

“We need gadgets na mu-closely monitor na naa tay ma detect-an, mahibaw-an na naa gipahigayon dinha na mga illegal, computer communication which we don’t have that equipment kinsa may dunay ekipo naa ana only the PAOCC (Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission),” explained Chan.

“As the chairman, I highly recommend to purchase that kind of equipment but there is no

budget for the regional peace and order council with regard to that equipment,” Chan added.

On the other hand, Chan said that the city needs a “composite team” for the operations after noticing the delay in releasing a search warrant for the computers and other gadgets found during the raid in the hotel.

This “composite team”, according to Chan, should be composed of the local government unit (LGU), PAOCC, Bureau of Immigration (BI), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP), City Social and Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).

“I have already requested from the Department of Justice to have a composite team in the City

of Lapu-Lapu kay naa na’y nangabot gikan sa Pampanga and Tarlac,” said Chan.

As of this writing, PAOCC is still conducting an inventory of the confiscated gadgets such as computers and phones confiscated from the hotel. — (FREEMAN)