Of the nabbed employees, 56 are Chinese Nationals, three Malaysians, and 1 Filipino.
The operation stemmed after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) received information that a Malaysian National named Ruby Lim was kidnapped by an unidentified Chinese national and is being illegally detained in a warehouse in Panabo City.
The alleged kidnap-victim was able to contact the informant and shared her exact location in Panabo City.
The NBI Regional office 11, upon receiving the information, immediately launched a surveillance operation, revealing the location in a warehouse situated at Purok 6, Barangay Manay.
The surveillance operation further revealed that the said warehouse is being rented by Chinese nationals for an unknown purpose. No legitimate business is operating at the warehouse, according to NBI 11 director Arcelito Albaosaid in a press conference Friday morning.
At around 1 a.m. of December 6, NBI operatives proceeded to the area to conduct a rescue operation o nkidnap-victim Lim from her abductors who were allegedly Chinese nationals.
However, during the operation, Lim was not found in the area and instead the operating team found 59 alien individuals and a Filipina who were claiming to be forced to work against their will in the POGO operations.
The arrested individuals were brought to the regional office for verifications with the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
The authorities found two air-conditioned rooms and 60 sets of computer systems left on which appeared to be operating POGO hubs.
Upon investigation, according to Albao, the POGO operation has been operating for about three months. An in depth probe is now underway to trace all those individuals behind the operation of POGO.
Seized during the operation were 60 computer sets, firearms, baseball bat, several identification cards, passports, and cellular phones.
“We will soon examine the cellphones and computers depending on any information extracted during the examination should there be any violations committed,” he said.
Albao said his office is currently in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration for verification on their stay in the Philippines.
He said a deportation process will also take place if they are found undocumented.
Photos: NBI 11
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