By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has launched a follow-up operation to identify and arrest the masterminds and financiers behind a newly discovered underground scam hub in Muntinlupa City, as authorities move to dismantle the network believed to be operating behind the illegal enterprise.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered a comprehensive investigation to determine the individuals or groups funding and directing the operation, emphasizing that police efforts will extend beyond arrests made during the initial raid.
“This successful operation proves that our monitoring and aggressive action are continuously being sustained against this kind of illegal activity. And we in the PNP will keep it that way until we fully accomplish our mission,” Nartatez said in a statement.
The enforcement effort stemmed from the arrest of an alleged manager of a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) during a police operation in Muntinlupa City on June 15, which subsequently led authorities to uncover the suspected scam hub.
Police said the facility was operating several websites and may be part of a broader network that continued to function despite the government’s ban on POGOs.
“Our personnel are actively tracking down these scam hubs, which have splintered into guerrilla-style operations following the government’s total ban on POGOs,” Nartatez said.
Investigators are now tracing the group’s command structure, financial backers and digital footprint after recovering computers, laptops, mobile phones, flash drives and other electronic devices during the raid.
The seized equipment is undergoing forensic examination to establish the scope of the operation, identify possible accomplices and determine links to other illegal activities.
Nartatez said the PNP is coordinating closely with other government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to strengthen intelligence-driven operations against similar scam hubs nationwide.
The police force is also working with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to identify remaining illegal operations and determine whether they are connected to other locations.
He stressed that information from the public remains crucial in locating and dismantling clandestine syndicates.
“The PNP will continue to work with LGUs in acting on intelligence information that will help dismantle these clandestine networks across the country,” Nartatez said. (PNA)
