The Philippine National Police (PNP) have significantly escalated their tactical field operations to combat decentralized scam hubs that have rapidly re-emerged across the country in smaller, “guerrilla-style” networks.
Intelligence officials confirmed that these illicit operations are under constant surveillance as enforcement teams move to prevent criminal syndicates from rebuilding after the state’s comprehensive shutdown of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) sector.
Verifying Clandestine Relocation Reports
Philippine National Police Chief, General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., announced on Sunday that specialized field divisions are actively verifying verified intelligence reports indicating that fragmented scam syndicates continue to run cyber-fraud operations through heavily scaled-down networks. While multiple illegal hubs have already been systematically dismantled in recent weeks, Nartatez clarified that nationwide tracking operations will maintain a constant tempo to preserve public safety and protect the rule of law.
The renewed law enforcement push materializes after senior legislators raised alarms that high-risk POGO networks had successfully adapted to state enforcement by breaking up into discreet micro-units that are substantially more difficult for traditional tracking software to detect. Former House quad committee overall chairperson Robert Ace Barbers explicitly highlighted several dense urban zones, including the Baclaran, Binondo, and Parañaque districts inside Metro Manila, alongside regional operations in Palawan and Cebu, as primary geographic areas where these clandestine operations are allegedly taking place, prompting immediate police deployments.
Enforcing the Permanent Ban on Internet Gaming Licenses
General Nartatez confirmed that the PNP will maintain relentless operational pressure on these rogue networks by forming a unified task force alongside auxiliary state departments to accelerate intelligence sharing, digital surveillance, and coordinated raid logistics. The police response is engineered to permanently dissolve these syndicates before they can establish permanent footing inside residential subdivisions, hidden commercial properties, or remote holiday resorts.
The ongoing enforcement campaign follows the formal signing of strict Inter-Agency Standard Operating Procedures this April, designed to ensure the permanent eradication of the offshore sector. The unified guidelines strictly enforce Executive Order No. 74, which was signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on November 4, 2024, to enact a total, uncompromised ban on all POGOs and internet gaming licensees (IGLs).
Prior to this deployment, state intelligence estimates revealed that at least 100 rogue operations were continuing to run covertly out of private luxury houses and hotels despite the passing of the official December 31, 2024, state-mandated closure deadline. The current police campaign reflects a long-term commitment to ensure the ban remains absolute as networks attempt to hide behind reduced structures.
