PANABO City Mayor Jose Relampagos disclosed that individuals behind the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo) operations initially sought permission to build a warehouse for plastic products.
In an interview, Relampagos shared that the group made a courtesy call to his office two months ago.
"Nag-courtesy call na sila sa akoa after mga two months after pero ang ingon nila is magbuhat sila og warehouse sa mga balde ug plastic pero dili man diay maayo ilang gibuhat karon gidakop (They told me they were constructing a warehouse for plastic goods like buckets. But it turns out their activities were illegal, as shown by their arrest)," the mayor said.
On Friday, December 6, 2024, the National Bureau of Investigation-Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-Semro) apprehended 59 individuals, mostly Chinese nationals, in a 1.5-hectare agricultural warehouse hub in Barangay Manay, Panabo City, Davao del Norte.
Relampagos commended the operation, reiterating that the city strictly prohibits illegal businesses.
"Wala koy pagsupak sa pagdakop nila kay ang pagpananghid nila nako ... [ingon ko nila] panguha mo og license para maplastar na inyohang negosyo. Kay ang pananghid nila sa akoa is warehouse (I had no objections to the arrest. I told them to secure the proper licenses to legitimize their business because they claimed it was for a warehouse)," he said.
The mayor emphasized that all businesses, regardless of nationality, must comply with city requirements for permits.
"Ang Panabo, any interested investor welcome sa atong siyudad sa Panabo kay gusto nako ang revenue sa Panabo dako. Dili ingon nga limited akong pagdawat sa mga Chinese, katong Chinese nga nagbinuang atong dakpon (Panabo welcomes investors because I want to boost our revenue. But we will crack down on those, including foreigners, who engage in illegal activities)," Relampagos said.
Oversight
Panabo City Police Chief Jess Anthony Maghirang acknowledged they had not immediately detected the Pogo operations.
"Wala gyud namo siya napansin nga naa na diay emerging Pogo operations kay considering ang Panabo City, sa akong six months of stay as the chief of police, pag-abot pa lang nako naa na gyud siyay mga Chinese personalities diri which engage sa legitimate businesses (In my six months as chief of police, I noticed Chinese nationals here, but they were engaged in legitimate businesses. We didn’t suspect foreign nationals were involved in illegal activities in Barangay Manay)," Maghirang said.
He added that his office will coordinate with the NBI to build a case against the operators and strengthen monitoring, particularly of foreign businesses.
Probe
Panabo City Vice Mayor Banjong Dujali has requested a comprehensive investigation into the illegal operations.
“Kung mag-exist man gani sa ingon ana ka kadugayon, duha ra atong padulngan: Unang-una, wala gyud silay kalibutan. Ikaduha, kung duna may kasayuran, dunay pagtugot (There are two possibilities: Either the barangay was unaware, or there was permission granted),” Dujali said during an interview with dxDC RMN Davao. He underscored the need to probe whether high-profile individuals or politicians were involved.
According to NBI-Semro Regional Director Atty. Archie Albao, the raid led to the arrest of 55 Chinese nationals, three Malaysians, and one Filipino, many of whom reportedly came from Manila. The operation had been running for over three months.
Confiscated items included foreign IDs, shotguns, and computers.
Albao refuted claims that Davao had become a hotspot for offshore gambling, noting this was the first raid on a Pogo company in the region.
Under Executive Order 74, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., all Pogos in the Philippines must cease operations by December 31, 2024. The order imposes a total ban on offshore and internet gaming in the country. RGL, DEF
