The Philippine National Police (PNP) has ordered intensified surveillance of coastal and border areas amid reports that criminal syndicates are moving illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) to neighboring countries.
Acting PNP Chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. directed territorial and national support units to increase patrols, visibility, and intelligence operations along suspected “backdoor routes” exploited by organized crime groups.
“These routes reportedly include sea passages from Palawan to Sabah, followed by overland travel through Malaysia, with final destinations believed to be in Myawaddy, Myanmar, or Phnom Penh, Cambodia,” Nartatez said.
He added, “We are working with the intelligence community and our foreign counterparts in relation to this information. But I have already instructed concerned police officers to intensify patrols along backdoor routes that may be exploited by syndicates to continue their illegal POGO operations.”
Nartatez emphasized vigilance against evolving criminal tactics, particularly those linked to human trafficking, fraud, and other transnational crimes. Authorities are validating reports and strengthening coordination with foreign law enforcement to prevent Filipinos from being exploited.
The heightened measures follow the enactment of Republic Act No. 12312, the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, which formally declares offshore gaming operations illegal.