The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) recently stated that although some former POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) employees have turned to cyber fraud after resigning, the overall number of cases is currently on a decline and has not yet posed a serious threat.
Brigadier General Yang Bernard of the PNP-ACG, during an interview at Camp Crame in Manila, pointed out that these individuals had received comprehensive training in scam parks, mastering fraud scripts and operational procedures. Nowadays, they often set up their own small groups or operate individually, using only mobile phones, scripts, and accounts to conduct their scams.
Police data shows that from December 20, 2024, to June 20, 2025, 608 cyber fraud suspects were arrested, including 7 foreigners, with the rest being local residents. Although the police did not release detailed comparative data, they claim that the total number of cases has decreased compared to the period from 2022 to 2024.
Brigadier General Yang emphasized that the current situation "is not yet cause for panic," and the police are continuing to strengthen monitoring and crackdown efforts.
It is noteworthy that in April 2025, the police disclosed that some former POGO employees took scamming devices such as mobile phones, computers, and script materials during the cleanup period of the parks. Some of them continued to engage in fraud and even resold the tools to others. These individuals, familiar with the processes and tending towards "localization," are more concealed, thus posing greater challenges to law enforcement efforts.
