Authorities cracked down on a suspected cybercrime syndicate in Clark Freeport Zone early Tuesday, arresting 27 Chinese nationals and rescuing eight Filipina women believed to be exploited in a cryptocurrency scam and illegal offshore gaming operation.
The predawn raids, led by the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration and military intelligence units, targeted two sites in Mabalacat City suspected of harboring cyber-enabled fraud operations.
The first operation took place around 2 a.m. at the Asian Greenville Resort in Barangay Jose Abad Santos, where 24 Chinese nationals—22 men and 2 women—were allegedly caught red-handed operating a crypto investment scam disguised as a digital marketing hub.
Inside the compound, authorities also discovered eight Filipina women, believed to have been lured or coerced into working for the syndicate. Officials are now assessing the possibility of human trafficking charges being filed against those involved.
Roughly an hour later, a follow-up operation at a residential unit in Clark Hills Village D led to the arrest of three more Chinese suspects believed to be connected to phishing and other cyber fraud schemes.
Dozens of computer terminals, mobile devices, and other high-tech equipment were confiscated during the raids and are now being subjected to forensic examination to trace victims and map the full scope of the operation.
The raids were executed under separate mission orders issued by the Bureau of Immigration’s Fugitive Search Unit, targeting foreign fugitives suspected of orchestrating or participating in online scams under the guise of business process outsourcing firms.
PRO3 Regional Director Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio Peñones Jr. hailed the operations as a strong step in the government’s war on cybercrime and illicit Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos).
“These coordinated raids send a strong and unambiguous message: Central Luzon will not tolerate scam syndicates, whether local or foreign,” Peñones said. “Our communities must be protected from these digital predators, and we will continue pursuing these criminal networks to the very end.”
Authorities are now working on deportation proceedings for the arrested foreign nationals, while the rescued women have been turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for assistance and rehabilitation.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the scam’s reach, including its possible ties to wider transnational crime networks operating in Southeast Asia.