Philippine Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros recently issued a shocking warning: A transnational criminal network using Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) as a front is rapidly expanding in Southeast Asia, forming a dark industry chain involving human trafficking, telecommunications fraud, and sexual exploitation. This politician, who has long focused on human trafficking issues, witnessed the plight of compatriots rescued from a scam hub in Myanmar at Ninoy Aquino International Airport and issued an urgent call for international assistance.
Heartbreaking Accusation: Inhumane Atrocities at the Myanmar Scam Center
On March 28, Hontiveros participated in the repatriation of the latest batch of over 100 rescued Filipino citizens. The details revealed by these victims are horrifying:
Systematic Violence: Includes electric shocks, water torture, sexual violence, and other forms of torture
Economic Exploitation: Forced to work 18 hours a day, with food deprivation as punishment for underperformance
Commodification of People: A pregnant woman was beaten to miscarriage due to poor performance
"They treated us like livestock," a survivor described tremblingly, "My roommate's legs were broken in public for attempting to escape."
Criminal Expansion: The Shadow of POGO Over Southeast Asia
Hontiveros pointed out that the criminal network has formed a "Golden Triangle-style" operation model:
Cambodia
Sihanoukville has become a scam center
217 Filipino citizens rescued in 2024
Myanmar
Mawlamyine Special Economic Zone turned into a "criminal paradise"
Over 50 known scam hubs
Thailand
Casinos serve as a cover for cross-border trafficking hubs
12 POGO-related enterprises involved
"These criminal groups spread like cancer cells," Hontiveros emphasized, "When the Philippines intensifies crackdowns, they spread to neighboring countries with more lenient regulations."
Four-Dimensional Action Plan: Building an International Defense Network
Facing this transnational crisis, Hontiveros proposed a systematic solution:
Intelligence Sharing Mechanism
Establish a Southeast Asian anti-fraud data platform
Promote cross-border electronic evidence collection agreements
Joint Law Enforcement Action
Form an international task force to carry out "chain-breaking operations"
Freeze criminal groups' cryptocurrency accounts
Victim Protection System
Set up regional shelters
Provide multilingual psychological intervention services
Source Control Strategy
Legislate to regulate high-salary recruitment advertisement reviews
Co-build scam information filtering systems with social platforms
