The authorities reportedly discovered the torture chamber in a Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO) hub in Pasay City that was attacked recently and is said to be involved in illegal activities such as sex trafficking, love, and crypto scams.
In a report by Saleema Refran on GMA News “24 Oras” this Monday, various items were found in a room, including heavy-duty tasers, airsoft guns, baseball bats, and wooden clubs. Also, the handcuffs are attached to the metal bar on the wall.
“’Yung mga hindi daw nagbabayad ng utang lalo kung sila ay gumamit ng mga prostitution room saka nung mga babae dito, ‘yung merong mga may atraso sa kanila, ‘yun ang tino-torture nila doon sa room na ‘yon,” said Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Executive Director Gilbert Cruz.
The PAOCC and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) raided the said POGO hub on Friday after someone tipped off about the ongoing operation in the area.
Seven Filipinos and two foreigners who were allegedly victims of sex trafficking were rescued.
On the other hand, the 731 workers in the hub were a mix of Filipinos and foreigners.
Torture chamber discovered in POGO hub
Six people, including five Chinese nationals and a Filipino recruiter, were charged with sex trafficking.
“Sila ay na-recruit sa pamamagitan ng Facebook. Needed ng encoder pero nung actual nila pinuntahan nalaman nila na ang magiging trabaho nila ay, yun nga, ay isa sila sa mga ipo-prostitute dito,” said IACAT official and Assistant City Prosecutor Maricar dela Cruz.
The special task force said three more Chinese nationals were captured who tried to escape by jumping from the building.
About 500 foreign nationals are undergoing immigration inquest for overstaying.
The Pasay City police said they will cooperate with the investigation by the directive of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
The POGO hub is near a police station and the Pasay City Hall. According to the PAOCC, the Pasay police provided them with intelligence information.
“We are not really allowed to operate on POGOs kasi only the PAOCC was designated to be the agency allowed by the government to operate on POGOs. Meron naman kami na mga nare-rescue na mga individuals sa mga different POGOs,” explained Pasay Police Chief Police Colonel Froilan Uy.
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