MANILA — Authorities rescued 187 foreign and Filipino workers during a raid at a Philippine Overseas Gaming Operator (POGO) center in Pampanga province on Tuesday night.
In a report on Wednesday (05 June 2024), the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) revealed that its members, along with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Special Action Force, and local police, executed a search warrant operation against the Lucky South 99 compound located along Friendship Highway in Angeles City.
The Malolos City Regional Trial Court Branch 14 issued the search warrant based on reports of human trafficking, torture, and scam activities occurring within the establishment.
“The reports we received indicated that individuals were being tortured here. They were struck with baseball bats and kicked. We also have a video allegedly showing a woman being forced to dance and abused by the bosses,” PAOCC spokesperson Winston John Casio said in a television interview.
A total of 157 foreigners, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Myanmar, and Korean workers, were rescued, along with 29 Filipinos.
PAOCC stated that all rescued foreigners are now undergoing biometric checks by the Bureau of Immigration.
(el Amigo/MNM)
