Two travel agency employees have been arrested for posing as Philippine Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) agents and soliciting money from families of former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) employees.
The two arrested individuals were employees of JRB Travel and Consultancy Services.
According to authorities, one victim allegedly paid PHP900,000 ($15,500) for the removal of one detainee from the deportation list of arrested POGO workers. Another allegedly paid PHP1.1 million ($18,900) to free his spouse who was arrested during a POGO hub raid in Parañaque.
Aside from the solicited bribes, the suspects provided fake documents, including tax identification number cards, driver’s licenses, Philippine passports, immigration documents, National Bureau of Investigation clearances and more.
The two are facing charges of robber-extortion, usurpation of authority, grave coercion and estafa.
The PAOCC, and other government bodies, has been actively trying to clean up the aftermath of the POGO ban, which came into effect on January 1st. A series of raids has led to the capture of hundreds of individuals which the country is now aiming to deport to their countries of origin.
In a Thursday update, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) indicated that a further 57 individuals have been deported in the last five days. These include 46 Chinese, seven Myanmar nationals, three Vietnamese and one Malaysian. They are part of the 450 foreigners arrested in January for law violations – including involvement in illegal POGO activities.
Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado noted that “We will not allow foreign nationals to abuse our immigration system. Those who break our laws and insist on continuing illegal POGO activities in the Philippines will be arrested and swiftly deported”.
