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Article

4 Jan 2020

Author:
Alan Robles, South China Morning Post

Philippines: Sixty-seven gambling-related abductions directly linked to offshore gaming operators that cater to gamblers in China

"A Chinese crime wave hits Duterte's Philippines as Pogos grow unchecked", 27 December 2019

...[A] long string of abductions involving and perpetrated by mainland Chinese...can be linked directly to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), which are locally based but cater to gamblers in China, where the activity is illegal.

[...]

There have been 67 gambling-related kidnappings since 2017, with nearly all the victims Chinese....

Typically, the victims are targets of scams, enticed to come to the Philippines and gamble in casinos, or they are Pogo employees. They are often loaned money to gamble, with the lender taking a cut of the winnings. Should the players lose the stake, they are abducted and released only when relatives pay a ransom.

According to local media, some Pogo employees who want to quit or move to another company are kidnapped as well....

[...]

Philippine authorities face three big issues when it comes to dealing with related crimes: dozens if not hundreds of underground Pogos that sprout overnight and operate without permits, generating zero revenue for the government; a rise in undocumented workers from China; and a weak, uncoordinated response from government agencies.

[...]

Ang-See said...the key to cut down on crimes involving Chinese nationals was to implement stricter immigration rules, stop issuing Pogo licences and crack down on illegal gambling.

[...]

She agreed, saying Philippine government was not willing to confront the issues with Pogos: "I think it's turning a blind eye."