Authorities in the Philippines recently made a shocking discovery of an underground hospital connected to the online gambling industry known as POGO. This illegal hospital, located in Pasay City, was equipped with tools for hair transplants, dental implants, and skin whitening drips. The authorities suspect that these hospitals are catering to POGO workers who are in the country illegally or may have been trafficked there.
The POGO industry, short for Philippine offshore gaming operator, is primarily made up of Chinese nationals and was permitted to operate under former President Rodrigo Duterte as long as they didn’t target Filipino citizens. However, the new president, Bongbong Marcos, has pledged to crack down on POGOs due to reports of trafficking and other crimes associated with the industry.
During a raid on the illegal hospital in Pasay City, police discovered tools that could be used to alter a person’s appearance significantly. This has raised concerns that the clinics may be helping fugitives change their looks to avoid detection. In the past, there have been instances where individuals involved in illegal activities have undergone cosmetic surgery to conceal their true identities.
The discovery of the underground hospital was made possible by an informant who tipped off the authorities. Upon raiding the facility, two Vietnamese doctors, one Chinese doctor, a Chinese pharmacist, and a Vietnamese nurse were arrested. None of them were licensed to practice medicine in the Philippines, highlighting the illegal nature of these operations.
According to Winston John Casio, a spokesman for the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), there are two more underground hospitals in the Metro Manila area that are believed to be larger than the one in Pasay City. This raises concerns that there may be many more of these operations across the country catering to illegal activities associated with the POGO industry.
The crackdown on these illegal clinics is part of a broader effort to combat the negative impact of the POGO industry on the Philippines. With reports of human trafficking, kidnapping, and murder linked to POGOs, the government is determined to put an end to these criminal activities. The goal is to prevent the Philippines from being labeled as a hub for scams and illegal operations targeting individuals worldwide.
