The Philippine government is pursuing three more bosses of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) who are currently outside the country, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).
PAOCC made the statement following the arrest of Lyu Dong, one of the so-called ‘godfathers’ of POGOs in the Philippines, on Thursday.
“Unfortunately, they are out of reach or away from us primarily because they are abroad. **Si Huang Ziyang, yung kay Gua Hua Ping po ito, Duanren Wu, and Zhiang Jie na parehong nasa Singapore,” said PAOCC Spokesperson Winston Casio in a media briefing on Friday, Oct. 11.
[Translation: Huang Ziyang is linked to Gua Hua Ping, Duanren Wu, and Zhiang Jie, who are both in Singapore.]Casio said that cases have been filed against the three, but so far only Huang has a standing warrant of arrest.
“Ang huling impormasyong natanggap namin lumipad siya from Taiwan to Hong Kong so ang DOJ natin nakikipag-ugnayan sa foreign counterparts para mag-issue ng red notice,” Casio added.
[Translation: The latest information we received is that he flew from Taiwan to Hong Kong, so our DOJ is coordinating with foreign counterparts to issue a red notice.]He clarified that the red notice is not a warrant of arrest but would activate law enforcement mechanisms between the Philippines and foreign territories to begin the process of returning him.
On its website, INTERPOL states that a red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. A red notice is not an international arrest warrant. Member countries apply their own laws in deciding whether to arrest a person.
Lyu Dong’s arrest to help POGO investigations
Casio said in the briefing that Lyu’s arrest would aid the government in dismantling illegal POGO operations in the country.
“Siya po ang pinaka-pioneer, napakabata pa po nito pero mind you when he came on board sa POGO just recently, marami po siyang naitayo na POGO iba’t ibang lokasyon. He’s a pioneer and could help the investigation kung sino ang tumulong sa kanya, ay maituro niya sa atin,” said Casio.
[Translation: He is the pioneer, very young, but mind you, when he joined the POGO industry just recently, he established many POGO operations in various locations. He’s a pioneer and could help point out who assisted him.]The PAOCC plans to file supplemental charges against Lyu in connection with the Lucky South 99 operations in Porac, Pampanga.
“Testimonial evidence points to him as one of the major financiers in setting up major POGO stories in the Philippines, not only in Lucky South 99 but even south of Metro Manila. Mapapalakas ba nito ang kaso kay Cassie Li Ong? Oo, but more than that dahil nahuli na po siya, siya na ang magiging principal accused ngayon,” Casio said.
[Translation: Testimonial evidence points to him as one of the major financiers in setting up major POGO operations in the Philippines, not only in Lucky South 99 but even south of Metro Manila. Will this strengthen the case against Cassie Li Ong? Yes, but more than that, since he has already been arrested, he will now become the principal accused.]
