Gatchalian wants Chinese criminal syndicates in POGOs behind bars

Concerned that Filipino workers will soon be targeted next, Senator Win Gatchalian has urged the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to hunt down Chinese syndicates in the country's POGO industry, arrest them and bring them to jail.

Gatchalian made the call amid reports of kidnapping incidents that these syndicates carry out even against their fellow nationals working in the offshore gaming industry. What is even worse, he said, is when these foreign criminal groups move towards human trafficking and kidnapping of our fellow Filipinos.

"The PNP, NBI and the BI need to step up their efforts in hunting down these syndicates who are not only into kidnapping activities but at the same time have been operating prostitution dens and many forms of human trafficking. They should go to jail", said Gatchalian.

To intensify its crackdown on these criminal groups, Gatchalian proposes to create an inter-agency task force that will be composed of the PNP, NBI, and BI, with the help of the National Prosecution Service (NPS) that will unify, synchronize, and optimize efforts and resources in the handling, investigation, and prosecution of kidnapping and human trafficking cases in the country.

Gatchalian wants the PNP to intensify its police visibility by conducting regular checkpoints and security patrols around Metro Manila. Most POGO operations are concentrated in the Makati Central Business District, Bonifacio Global City, and the Bay Area in Pasay and Paranaque Cities.

The lawmaker also called on the BI to implement stricter immigration monitoring and beef up border security to ward off the entry of illegal foreign traffickers. Border officers should be in close coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy and the PNP Maritime Group.

The Senate Labor Committee cited accumulated media reports specifying that there were 634 Chinese fugitives coming from several POGO service providers who were arrested from September 2019 to January 2020. Most of them were involved in various forms of investment scams, 14 were into online phishing and 1 led a criminal syndicate.

The same report showed that the number of prostitution dens ballooned in the same period which led to arresting 77 Chinese women involved and rescued 241 Chinese, Taiwanese and Filipino women who were forced into joining the illegal activity.

The committee also cited a BI report showing it has deported 886 foreign criminals who were confirmed fugitives from 2017. They were either undocumented or had no visa or working permit.

Meanwhile, data from the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG), show that the number of abduction cases involving Chinese nationals rose by 71% to 58 cases in 2019 from 34 cases in 2018. Of these 58 cases, there are 31 incidents of casino-related kidnappings or victims abducted by their loan-sharks after accumulating huge debts.

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Chinese syndicates sa POGO industry, pinatutugis ni Gatchalian

Sa pangambang baka ang mga kababayan na natin ang susunod na magiging biktima, hinimok ni Sen. Win Gatchalian ang pamunuan ng Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), at Bureau of Immigration na tugisin ang mga Chinese syndicates sa likod ng POGO industry sa bansa.

Nababahala si Gatchalian sa sunod-sunod na insidente ng pangingidnap ng mga sindikatong ito sa mga kapwa nila Chinese na pawang nagtatrabaho sa offshore gaming industry.

Aniya, maaring ang ating mga kababayan na ang magiging susunod na biktima ng kidnapping at human trafficking kung hindi masasawata sa lalong madaling panahon ang mga sindikatong ito.

"Dapat paigtingin pa ng PNP, NBI, at ng BI need ang patugis sa mga sindikatong ito na hindi lamang involved sa serye ng kidnapping sa bansa, pati na rin ang pag-operate ng prostitution dens at iba pang uri ng human trafficking. Ang dapat sa kanila ay mabulok sa bilangguan," ani Gatchalian.

Iminungkahi ni Gatchalian ang pagbubuo ng isang inter-agency task force na binubuo ng PNP, NBI, at BI, at kasama ang National Prosecution Service para sa mas mabilis na pagimbestiga, pagtugis at prosekusyon ng kaso ng mga syndikatong ito.

Hinimok rin ni Gatchalian ang PNP na mas paigtingin pa ang police visibility sa Metro Manila, kasama na dito ang pag-conduct ng checkpoint at police patrol. Karamihan sa operasyon ng POGO sa bansa ay matatagpuan sa Makati Central Business District, Bonifacio Global City at Bay Area sa mga lungsod ng Pasay at Paranaque.

Kinalampag din ni Gatchalian ang atensyon ng BI na mas paigtingin ang immigration monitoring at border security upang pigilan ang pagpasok ng mga illegal foreign traffickers. Sinabi ng senador na dapat laging may close coordination ang border officers sa kawani ng Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy, at PNP Maritime Group.

Sa tala ng Senate Labor Committee mula sa iba't ibang news reports, may 634 Chinese fugitives na naaresto sa bansa mula September 2019 hanggang January 2020. Karamihan sa mga ito ay sangkot sa iba't ibang uri ng investment scams, 14 ang sangkot sa phishing, at ang isa naman ay namuno ng isang criminal syndicate.

Kasama din sa nasabing report ang pagkakaaresto ng 77 Chinese na babaeng sangkot sa prostitusyon at pagkakasagip ng 241 na Chinese, Taiwanese and Filipino na mga babae na napwersang sumali sa iligal na gawain.

Base naman sa report ng BI, may 886 foreign fugitives ang nadeport na sa kanilang bansa mula noong 2017.

Samantala, sinabi ng PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) na tumaas ang kaso ng abduction ng Chinese nationals sa bansa ng 71 na pursyento o 58 na kaso noong nakaraang taon kumpara sa 34 na kaso noong 2018.

Sa pagtatala ng PNP-AKG, sa 58 na kaso ng abduction, 31 dito ay tinuturing na casino-related kidnappings, kung saan ang biktima ay kinikidnap ng mga nagpautang sa kanila matapos silang mabaon sa malaking utang.

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