In a startling development, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) is set to bring criminal charges against the owner of a building in Parañaque City, following a raid that exposed its use as a hub for an illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO). The announcement was made by PAOCC director and spokesperson Winston Casio during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
Casio revealed that the PAOCC is not only pursuing criminal charges but also aims to seize the entire building, which was allegedly utilized by the Dan Ying Gaming Corp. for POGO activities spanning the fourth through seventh floors. He emphasized the severity of the situation, noting that the building’s owner could face significant legal repercussions for permitting such operations.
The building owner might also be charged with human trafficking, as Casio pointed out that the owner was aware of renting out the facility to POGO operations for months. Despite evident red flags, such as a suspiciously high monthly lease of PHP20 million and the frequent movement of foreigners in and out of the building, the owner allegedly turned a blind eye.
The raid, conducted on Thursday night, led to the arrest of 435 POGO workers, including 148 foreign nationals, at the ATI building near the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange. The detainees included 136 Chinese nationals, five Vietnamese, three Malaysians, two Thais, one Taiwanese, and one Indonesian.
Casio disclosed that the Dan Ying Gaming Corp. is purportedly owned by a prominent Filipino-Chinese businessman. The PAOCC continues its efforts to identify the beneficial owners and corporators of the gaming firm, signaling a deeper investigation into the network behind these illegal operations.