Largest POGO Bust of the Year So Far Leads to 244 Arrests
POGO BUST – The Bureau of Immigration has scored a breakthrough in its campaign against illegal POGO activities after 244 foreigners were arrested in a massive POGO bust in Zamboanga Sibugay.
Authorities have arrested 244 foreign nationals in Zamboanga Sibugay in a major operation targeting suspected illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO)-related activities, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
The agency described the operation as the “largest Pogo bust” of the year so far after simultaneous raids were carried out in two locations in the province last Friday.
BI teams conducted operations in Barangay Kimos in Siay and Barangay Tandiong Muslim in Alicia. A total of 113 foreign nationals were apprehended during the Siay operation, including 110 Chinese nationals, two Cambodians, and one Hong Kong national.
Meanwhile, authorities arrested another 131 foreigners in Alicia. Most of those detained were Chinese nationals, while others reportedly came from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar.
“At the Siay operation, BI teams apprehended 113 foreign nationals, consisting of 110 Chinese nationals, two Cambodians, and one Hong Kong national. At the Alicia operation, another 131 foreign nationals were apprehended, mostly Chinese, along with nationals from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar. The identities and nationalities of those apprehended remain subject to verification by the BI Alien Registration Division,” the agency said.
The raids also resulted in the seizure of numerous electronic devices believed to have been connected to online activities. Among the items recovered from the Casa de Coco Pension House compound were 78 computer monitors, approximately 3,000 mobile phones, laptops, and cellular SIM cards.
The BI said some of the seized equipment appeared to have been used in online scams. The discovery reportedly pointed to the presence of an organized illegal online operation within the compound.
The enforcement activities form part of the government’s continuing implementation of Executive Order No. 74, series of 2024, which prohibited Pogo operations in the Philippines. Authorities are also enforcing Republic Act 12312, or the Anti-Pogo Act of 2025.
The arrested foreigners are now facing investigations over possible violations of Philippine immigration laws. These include allegedly working without the required visas and documents, participating in illegal Pogo-related activities, staying in the country without proper documentation, and entering the Philippines illegally.
The BI is also working with other law enforcement agencies to determine whether the operation uncovered possible human trafficking violations.
“The apprehended foreign nationals will undergo appropriate deportation proceedings for their alleged violations of Philippine immigration laws. Upon the issuance of a deportation order, their names will be placed on the Bureau’s blacklist, barring them from re-entering the country,” the BI said.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado praised the operation and reiterated the agency’s commitment to eliminating illegal POGO activities.
He said that his agency “will continue to enforce our immigration laws against foreign nationals who violate the conditions of their stay and ensure that the Philippines is not used as a base for illegal activities.”
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