MANILA, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested 29 individuals allegedly involved in a scam hub in Kawit, Cavite. In a statement on Tuesday, August 13, the NBI said it raided the scam hub in Cavite province operated by foreigners on August 9. The operation led to the arrest of five foreigners – Chinese: Shang Guan Jian Bao, Guan Pei Hong, Masi Yi and two Malaysians: Jenny Tan Sue Tzen and Kong Yee Xin.
Twenty four Filipinos were also arrested: Marrione Martinez, Jessable Nolla, Michelle Laureno, Eva Lou Cabias, John Kenneth Llabres, Randell Booc, Jayson Lumbocan, Kenneth Habres, Ron Daniel Bontoc, Stephanie Porol, Maria Misumi, Cherevim Bontia, Paul Mertan Quines, Greengrasilda Ligan, Reymilyn Tadena, Mico Princillo, Key-Ann Katipon, Ella Camillo, Glaizy Ann Catipon, Adrian Severino, Rendon Lark Bawar, Benirma Valeriano, Edsil Solis, and Yasmin Marie Canaynay. LOOK: NBI arrests 29 individuals (5 foreigners, 24 Filipinos) in an alleged scam hub in Kawit, Cavite on August 9. The scam hub had operated inside a residential area in the Cavite town.
@rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/b4RoO8Q98v — Jairo Bolledo (@jairojourno) August 13, 2024 According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, his office received a report that several houses in Grand Centennial Homes were being used as alleged scam hubs.
In some of the houses, electronic devices were set up for scams like love, investment, crypto, and impersonation. The NBI chief said the foreigners led the operation, while the arrested Filipinos manned the scamming operations. The NBI conducted the operation through search warrants targeted on four houses in the said subdivision.
Santiago said NBI personnel “caught red-handed several individuals manning and operating their electronic devices...
with scam scripts designed to deceive individuals into providing sensitive information or investing money.” The authorities also discovered “scam showrooms” with “live desktop computers, where counterfeit luxury items and other high-end products were meticulously displayed, creating an illusion of authenticity to deceive potential victims.” Santiago said forensic examinations on the devices, as well as digital evidence, showed that the arrested individuals allegedly violated Republic Act (RA) No.
10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and RA No. 12010 or the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act. The NBI’s arrest came at the height of the government’s crackdown against illegal Philippine offshore and gaming operators and scam hubs.
The POGO crackdown, led by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, led to the raids in two different POGOs in Tarlac and Pampanga, and other parts of the country. The Philippines has already banned POGOs in the country and the government has already filed complaints against individuals tagged in the illegal POGOs due to complaints of trafficking and abuse. – Rappler.
com.
