TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Many in the Philippines are worried their country is being infiltrated by Chinese military personnel after it was reported that PLA uniforms were found during a raid on a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) complex carried out last week on June 4.
The Lucky South 99 complex, located in Porac, Pampanga, north of Manila was raided by multiple police agencies after reports of sex trafficking and torture of captive individuals, reported the Inquirer. On Monday (June 10), it was reported that during the raid, authorities also discovered over a dozen PLA-issued uniforms, along with several pins and medals.
The presence of the uniforms was disclosed to the public by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). In response to the discovery, and in an effort to calm public concerns, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said that the uniforms are most likely props used in scams conducted by the illegal POGOs, which often serve as call centers for international scam rings.
The number of POGOs located throughout the Philippines, predominantly operated by Chinese nationals, grew rapidly under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. They have become a source of public concern and alarm, because it is believed that many are not subject to proper government oversight.
In several cases, a POGO may continue to operate illegally even after its official government license to serve as international online gambling and gaming businesses has been revoked. This was the case with the Lucky South 99 complex which was raided in September 2022 and ordered to close, reported the Inquirer.
The raid last week resulted in the rescue of 186 foreigners and Filipinos being held against their will, along with the arrest of an unpublished number of Chinese nationals who are being detained for further investigation. The chief of the Pampanga Police Office was also removed from office for his failure to tamp down on the illegal activity.
The discovery of the Chinese military uniforms, whether merely props or genuine uniforms of enlisted soldiers, has only heightened public fears of Chinese infiltration in the country via the POGOs and the large number of Chinese nationals in the country who operate them, often with very little oversight. Numerous Philippine politicians and commentators have called these complexes a threat to national security.
At a press briefing on the raid, a spokesman for the Philippine Navy, Roy Vincent Trinidad, said that POGOs do not yet constitute a national security threat, but his comments suggested that the Armed Forces of the Philippines may soon reassess their position. “We haven't yet reached that point. The moment we get there, there will be appropriate announcements to be made,” he said.
