Garcia: No active POGOs found in Cebu City, but can’t guarantee no illegal ops

At least a hundred foreign nationals were rescued during a raid on Saturday, August 31, at hotel in Brgy. Agus, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu that was identified as a Pogo hub. | CDN Photo/ Emmariel Ares

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Following the recent raid of a hotel in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said he cannot fully guarantee the absence of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) or similar operations here.q

Garcia: No active POGOs found in Cebu City, but can’t guarantee absence of illegal ops

While inspections of registered establishments have confirmed that no POGO activities are currently operating in the city, Garcia said the possibility of such operations can only partially be ruled out.

“Everything man is in order, but di gyud sad ko moingon nga wala. But basi sa among nakita, wala…There is no assurance that there is no POGO, or POGO-like operations here in Cebu City,” he said.

Garcia stated that while he acknowledges the uncertainty regarding potential operations in Cebu City’s resorts or hotels, no evidence of such activities has been detected in the city’s records.

READ: Mayor Chan shuts down Lapu-Lapu hotel over illegal Pogo operation

According to the acting mayor, in approximately 40,000 registered establishments here, no active or legal POGO operators have been identified in the city by the Cebu City Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO).

He stated that the recent inspections reaffirmed this and revealed that most establishments were functioning as registered electronic gaming outlets, all permitted to operate legally.

On July 29, Garcia issued a directive, instructing the Cebu City government to conduct thorough inspections of all BPLO-registered establishments and to crack down on any POGO operations in the city.

This directive followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, 2024, calling for an immediate halt to all POGO activities nationwide.

The inspections were carried out by members of the local police and the BPLO, in response to Garcia’s earlier order to Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director, Police Colonel Antonietto Cañete, to form a task force composed of CCPO officers and BPLO personnel.

READ: Suspected Pogo hub in Lapu-Lapu City raided

Cebu hotel raid uncovers first illegal Pogo hub in Visayas; 162 foreigners rescued

On August 31, authorities raided an alleged illegal POGO hub inside a resort hotel in Lapu-Lapu City, rescuing 162 foreigners. The raid uncovered 83 Chinese nationals, 70 Indonesians, six Myanmar nationals, one Malaysian, and two Taiwanese, reportedly involved in scamming activities, along with five Filipino administrators or managers, at the Tourist Garden Hotel in Barangay Agus. /clorenciana