The Department of Labor and Employment is warning the public against the illegal recruitment being perpetrated by certain Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in the country.
This was after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) verified that certain Chinese companies are operating in the country as POGO without license, accreditation, nor pending application with its Online Gaming and Licenses Department (OGLD).
In a report report from the Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG), a Taiwanese identified as Wu Keng-Hao, went to the country last February 26, 2021 to work for an online gaming company.
Wu told the police that he was lured to apply to work for POGO through a social media account of Chinese firm Yinghuang Yule which promised a 13,000 Renminbi (P97,000) monthly salary.
Upon arrival in the country, he was brought to a hotel in Pasay for the mandatory quarantine. He was later on kept in a budget hotel in Paranaque City and was turned into a ‘POGO work slave’ after he was sold twice to two different Chinese groups, identified as Yinghuang Yule and 3 + 7 Company, who are not authorized to operate as POGO in the Philippines.
The report also said that the Taiwanese victim was only rescued by the police on March 2, 2021 after he called his relatives in Taiwan, who in turn sought the assistance of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO). It was TECO officials who informed the PNP-AKG on the ordeal experienced by the victim.
According to PNP-AKG, the “slave trade” has already been the modus of POGO firms during the past years. Chinese or Taiwanese nationals would be lured through social media accounts and will be recruited as POGO workers. These companies would often compensate them lower than what was agreed upon and if they refuse, they will be abducted and call their families for ransom.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III warned the public of unscrupulous groups specifically those who promise to give attractive salary packages but have caused them serious financial and emotional problems.
To avoid being defrauded, the Labor Chief advised to be very careful in dealing with similar groups who are using the social media in their recruitment activities.
Bello emphasized that “It would be prudent to verify first the registration of such companies with relevant government agencies prior to engaging with them.”
