By Benjamin Pulta | Philippine News Agency
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Tuesday said an inter-agency operation in Pasig City has resulted in the arrest of 168 employees of an online lending company allegedly harassing borrowers.
In a statement, the PAOCC said the operation was conducted at the 22nd floor of an office building in Pasig City, the main operating hub of an online lending application.
The operation was led by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), and the PNP-CIDG, with support from the PAOCC, the National Privacy Commission (NPC), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by virtue of a Warrant to Search, Seize, and Examine Computer Data (WSSECD) issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 46 in Manila.
Authorities seized hundreds of computers and several company-issued mobile phones allegedly used for harassment during debt collection, along with hundreds of pre-registered SIM cards, text blasters, and harassment scripts.
The raid followed months of surveillance and investigation, aided by the testimony of a former employee who came forward to expose how the company misled and harassed borrowers.
According to the PAOCC, some victims were directed to send payments to e-wallet or bank accounts under the guise of clearing their loans, only to be contacted again by collectors despite having paid.
This operation comes just days after a man from Valenzuela City took his own life after suffering harassment from individuals connected with the online lending application.
“May isang buhay na nawala dahil sa pang-aabuso ng isang lending app. Hindi utang ang pumatay sa kanya kundi ‘yong walang-awang pangha-harass,” PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert Cruz said.
“Sa bawat biktima, huwag kayong matakot. Hindi kayo nag-iisa. Nandito ang gobyerno na handa kayong tulungan,” he said
Meanwhile, the SEC is reviewing the company’s legal and regulatory compliance, as its operations appear to have exploited the system while falsely claiming legitimacy.
Authorities are now preparing charges for violations of the Data Privacy Act of 2012, the Truth in Lending Act, and the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act, in connection with the deception, harassment, and inhumane collection practices inflicted on borrowers.
