In Manila, authorities have apprehended two individuals from a travel agency who falsely claimed to be part of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). These imposters were caught soliciting funds from the relatives of former Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) employees. The arrests were made following a sting operation involving the PAOCC, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The suspects, Rosalie Bolaños and Javie Nobleta, worked at JRB Travel and Consultancy Services Inc. in Intramuros, Manila. According to PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, the duo tricked victims into paying hefty sums to have their loved ones removed from a deportation list of detained POGO workers. One victim reportedly paid PHP900,000 to delist a detainee, while another shelled out PHP1.1 million to secure the release of a spouse arrested during a POGO hub raid in Parañaque. The suspects also allegedly provided fake official documents, including tax identification numbers, birth and marriage certificates, driver’s licenses, Philippine passports, immigration documents, and National Bureau of Investigation clearances. Additionally, Bolaños faces a separate arrest warrant for estafa, filed by a South Korean, Jeongyul Hong, who claims he paid PHP3.2 million for a visa that was never delivered. The suspects now face charges of robbery-extortion, usurpation of authority, estafa, and grave coercion.
Two Fraudulent PAOCC Agents Arrested for Scamming Former POGO Employees
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