CEBU CITY — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan has ordered the immediate closure of Tourist Garden Hotel in Barangay Agus, along with several businesses operating on its premises, after uncovering illegal POGO activities in the area during a recent raid. Chan issued a cease and desist order on Monday against the hotel and its tenants Cyber Internet House Corp., Nanyang Zhongjing Tobacco Corp., Hwa Yan Realties Inc., Royal 1 Suwu KTV Corp., and Asean Gufeng International Trade Corporation. The raid was conducted on August 31 by a joint force from the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Bureau of Immigration, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. During the raid, authorities discovered that the Tourist Garden Hotel was being used as a front for illegal POGO operations and online scams. Authorities also rescued 169 foreigners, mostly Indonesians, Chinese and Burmese, who were involved in POGO activities. The raid followed complaints from three Indonesians who had escaped the establishment and reported their plight to the Indonesian Embassy. Chan said that the hotel was operating without a valid work permit and was being exploited for illegal purposes. Despite the hotel's previous legal status, he said, it was now being used for unlawful activities. Chan added that the city has not issued any permits for POGO operations and had rejected previous applications for such endeavors in the city. Chan also said that the city's Business Inspection Board and local police had identified potential POGO hubs within Lapu-Lapu City. He suggested that the city's strategic location might contribute to attracting illegal operations and assured that investigations into suspected areas would be completed within the month. In addition, Chan has requested advanced detection equipment to better monitor and combat illegal activities and has asked the Department of Justice to form a composite team to support future operations and investigations. The raid at the Tourist Garden Hotel has led to ongoing investigations, including an inquest into human trafficking operations discovered during the raid. NBI – Central Visayas director Renan Oliva confirmed that the rescued victims are receiving necessary assistance from the Philippine government and that efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for the illegal activities. He said this operation reflects a broader effort by local authorities to tackle the rising issue of illegal POGO operations, following similar incidents in Pampanga and Tarlac. Last July, in his third State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the wind down of all POGO operations in the country by the end of the year.
Read The Rest at :
