Philippine authorities have arrested 244 foreign nationals at two suspected offshore gaming sites in Zamboanga Sibugay, in what the Bureau of Immigration (BI) described as its largest POGO bust of 2026.
The October 2nd raids targeted locations in Siay and Alicia in southern Mindanao, as authorities continue enforcement against suspected Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) activities following the nationwide ban.
“The Bureau of Immigration is firmly implementing the government’s policy against illegal POGO operations,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.
The BI carried out the simultaneous operations with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Officers apprehended 113 foreign nationals in Siay and another 131 in Alicia, most of them Chinese. Their identities and nationalities remain subject to verification.
Investigators recovered approximately 3,000 mobile phones, 78 computer monitors, laptops and SIM cards from the Casa de Coco Pension House compound, according to the BI. Authorities suspect some of the seized equipment was used for online scams.
Those arrested are being investigated for alleged immigration violations, including working without appropriate visas, lacking documentation and, in some cases, entering the country illegally. The bureau also cited alleged involvement in illegal POGO-related online activities.
The BI said the operations formed part of its enforcement of the 2024 executive order banning POGOs and the Anti-POGO Act of 2025.
The foreign nationals will undergo deportation proceedings, with blacklisting to follow if deportation orders are issued. Authorities are also investigating possible human trafficking violations linked to the sites.
