More victims come out to pin Bamban scam farms

MANILA – The Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on Wednesday asked prosecutors to include eight respondents in the human trafficking complaints against Chinese nationals involved in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) firms in Bamban, Tarlac.

This was after two more victims came out to file their sworn testimonies against the illegal POGO firms.

"We included them for serious illegal detention kasi meron tayong mga complainants na naging biktima nila, nakumpleto ang mga papeles at ngayon natin nai-file sa (because we have two complainant-victims. Documentation has been completed and filed before the) Department of Justice (DOJ)," CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said in an ambush interview.

Torre added that the additional respondents and the two complainants were all Chinese.

"They were held against their will. They were made to work against their will. Gusto nila umuwi, gusto nila umayaw, pero sila ay hindi pinapayagan umalis (They wanted to go home, to quit, but they were not allowed to go)," he said.

He added all the respondents "are (POGO) personnel and they are holding positions that actually require them to take control of these victims."

In September, non-bailable criminal charges for qualified trafficking were filed before the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo and 13 others.

Aside from Guo, the DOJ also charged Dennis Cunanan, as well as 12 executives and founders of three companies, who are allegedly Guo's business partners.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday announced the arrest of 17 individuals in a raid on a scam hub in Parañaque City on Tuesday night.

In a press briefing, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said four condominium units in Casiana Residences in the city were being used as a scam hub by a syndicate of foreign nationals.

Onsite examination of their devices uncovered a scheme where victims were contacted via platforms, such as WhatsApp or Telegram, by the suspects posing as representatives of legitimate businesses or acquaintances.

The victims were then lured into making investments in cryptocurrency through "mining" or "farming" schemes.

The firm also used manipulated gambling sites designed to ensure that users consistently lost.

Charges for violation of Illegal Access, Misuse of Devices, Computer-Related Forgery, and Computer-Related Fraud under RA 10175, otherwise known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, as well as Social Engineering Schemes and Economic Sabotage under RA 12010, otherwise known as the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act, were filed against Zhao Jianjun, Huang Cheng Chi, Huang Bi Ying, Li Hui Juan, Lengxin Yu, Liu XIng Rong, Chen Zihao, Zhou You Liang, Chen Xing, Chen Qing Gang, Huang Zhixon, Riu Chen, Mao Jing Hang, Liu Xuan Wu, Wang Wen Bin, Yan Xiao Hong, and Yang Yun.

A Chinese national identified as Hou Jusen was charged with Corruption of Public Officials, Falsification of Public Documents, and violation of the Anti-Alias Law after allegedly offering bribes amounting to P1.5 million for the release of the suspects.

A Filipino couple who accompanied him are being tapped to become witnesses, the NBI said. (PNA)