Philippines Arrests 244 Foreigners in Major Illegal POGO Scam Crackdown
Philippine authorities arrested 244 foreign nationals, mostly Chinese citizens, during simultaneous raids on Friday, October 2, 2026, in the southern island province of Zamboanga Sibugay, according to Al Jazeera, marking what immigration officials termed the country’s largest crackdown on illegal offshore gaming operators this year.
Simultaneous Raids in Zamboanga Sibugay
The Bureau of Immigration stated that military and law enforcement agencies targeted two separate addresses in the municipalities of Siay and Alicia. In Siay, law enforcement agents apprehended 113 foreigners, including 110 Chinese nationals, two Cambodians, and one Hong Kong resident, as reported by Rappler. A second operation in Alicia yielded 131 foreign citizens, who were mostly Chinese alongside individuals from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar, according to Al Jazeera’s reporting.
The National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Immigration, the Philippine Army’s 102nd Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division, and regional police forces carried out the operations.
Seized Equipment and Evidence of Scam Operations
Operatives confiscated extensive electronic equipment across both raid sites. Al Jazeera noted that authorities seized large quantities of computer equipment, mobile phones, laptops, and SIM cards. Rappler specified that the haul in Siay alone included 78 computer monitors, laptops, cellular SIM cards, and approximately 3,000 mobile phones, which officials suspect were utilized in organized online scam operations.
Investigators are examining the confiscated devices to establish their connection to transnational criminal activities.
Human Trafficking and Immigration Violations Under Investigation
The Philippine government is investigating several of the detained foreign nationals for potential human trafficking-related offenses, while deportations await the remaining individuals, according to Al Jazeera. Rappler noted that the foreigners face allegations of immigration violations, including working without required work visas and illegal entry.
Major General Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr., commander of the 1st Infantry Division, emphasized that local communities must not become safe havens for transnational crime.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado stated that the bureau will continue enforcing immigration laws to ensure the Philippines is not used as a base for illegal activities. The Chinese embassy in Manila told Agence France-Presse that officials are reaching out to Philippine law enforcement agencies regarding the case, reiterating that Chinese law prohibits gambling overseas or working for gambling companies.
Marcos Bans POGOs as Criminal Syndicates Continue Operations
The October 2026 raids follow President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive banning Philippine offshore gaming operators, known as POGOs, during his third State of the Nation Address in 2024. Rappler noted that Marcos subsequently signed Republic Act No. 12312, the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, to prohibit offshore gaming operations and the establishment of POGO sites nationwide.
Despite the statutory ban, criminal syndicates continue to operate clandestine hubs. A 2023 United Nations report highlighted that hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked across Southeast Asia to work in scam centers, with operations spanning Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, and Thailand.
Foreign nationals issued deportation orders from the October 2 raids will be placed on the Bureau of Immigration’s blacklist, barring them from reentering the country.