Six Filipino police officers are accused of stealing PHP13 million ($230,000) in evidence money seized during an October 2024 raid on a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO), according to a report by GMA News.
The officers are now under restrictive custody as the investigation progresses. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the missing funds were part of PHP141 million ($2.48 million) recovered in the operation.Â
The discrepancy surfaced in November, when a court declared the search illegal and ordered the cash returned to the property owners. When authorities opened the evidence containers, only PHP128 million ($2.25 million) was found, while another box contained counterfeit bills.
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said internal investigators later identified six officers allegedly involved in the pilferage, including the evidence custodian. Police Major General Robert Morico II, acting director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, confirmed that the custodian was among those placed under restrictive custody as the inquiry proceeded.
Criminal complaints have been filed against the six officers, including qualified theft, malversation of public funds, opening of closed documents, falsification of public documents and illegal possession or use of fake treasury or bank notes. Administrative cases have also been initiated.
The incident comes as Philippine authorities clean up the remnants of POGO operations, a sector which was banned due to its links to criminal activity and regulatory breaches. The government ordered all POGO businesses to shut down by the end of 2024, citing national security concerns, tax compliance issues and a series of high-profile criminal cases tied to the industry.
