Over 160 individuals, primarily Chinese and Indonesians, were apprehended during a raid on a suspected illegal online gaming and cyber scam operation in the Philippines, authorities reported on Sunday.
The raid took place Saturday at a resort compound in Lapu-Lapu city, located in a central province, and involved more than 100 government agents supported by military intelligence.
This operation is part of a larger crackdown following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s July mandate to ban widespread online gaming activities, which are largely operated by Chinese nationals and primarily target clients in China, where illegal gambling is prohibited.
Following a request from the Indonesian Embassy in Manila to rescue eight Indonesians allegedly forced to work in an online gaming hub, Philippine authorities raided the Tourist Garden Resort.
The complex, featuring 10 buildings with pools, karaoke bars, and restaurants, housed at least 162 foreign nationals involved in internet scams, including fraudulent love, gaming, and investment schemes, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.
President Marcos previously stated that illegal gambling networks in the country have consistently violated laws and engaged in financial scams, human trafficking, torture, kidnappings, and murder.
Among those apprehended were 83 Chinese, 70 Indonesians, 6 Myanmar nationals, 2 Taiwanese, and 1 Malaysian.
They will be flown to Manila for investigation and possible deportation by the Bureau of Immigration. The resort’s owner was also arrested and may face charges for “harboring illegally staying foreigners,” officials reported.
Philippine immigration chief Norman Tansingco called for legal action against resort owners allowing their properties to be used for illegal activities, stating, “We will suggest to the authorities to file cases
against resort owners who allow their properties to be used by illegal aliens in their covert operations… This will serve as a warning to those who might attempt to start illegal online gambling operations.”
President Marcos’s decision to ban Chinese-run online gambling operations, believed to employ tens of thousands of Chinese and Southeast Asian workers, has been supported by Beijing.
The crackdown has led to the closure of several sites suspected of exploiting workers under harsh conditions.
Additionally, authorities are pursuing former Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, who fled in July after being summoned by the Senate. She is accused of ties to a large online gambling operation near the town hall.
Former Tarlac mayor Alice Guo is also accused of concealing her Chinese nationality to qualify for public office, which is restricted to Filipino citizens.
Although Guo, now thought to be hiding in Indonesia, has denied the allegations, she was removed from office by the Ombudsman for “grave misconduct.”
The Ombudsman is responsible for investigating and prosecuting government officials involved in crimes such as graft and corruption.
Philippine senators argue that widespread corruption in regulatory agencies and large bribes to officials have allowed the online gambling industry to thrive across the country.
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