Underground POGO Hospitals Uncovered in the PhilippinesUnderground POGO Hospitals Uncovered in the Philippines In a significant breakthrough, Philippine authorities have discovered secret medical facilities allegedly linked to the illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) industry. The raid on a hospital in Pasay City revealed a cache of suspicious equipment, including dental implants, hair transplant tools, and skin bleaching agents. Possible Identity Alterations Experts believe that these hospitals could have been used to facilitate identity alterations for POGO workers facing health issues or victims of human trafficking. Authorities also speculate that wanted fugitives may have sought refuge in these facilities to evade law enforcement. POGO Crackdown The discovery of these underground hospitals has escalated the government’s crackdown on POGOs, which have been plagued by scams and human rights abuses. President Bongbong Marcos has vowed to dismantle these operations, following the lead of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who had previously permitted their conditional operation. Organized Crime Connections Investigating authorities suspect that the medical centers may have ties to organized crime, particularly the Chinese mafia. A recent arrest of a notorious criminal, Andy Chen, revealed that he had undergone cosmetic surgery to conceal his identity and connections to human trafficking. Licensed Doctors and Nurses The raid on the secret hospital led to the arrest of three foreign doctors from Vietnam and China, as well as a Chinese pharmacist and a Vietnamese nurse. However, none of them were licensed to practice medicine in the Philippines. Ongoing Investigation Authorities warn that more underground hospitals may be operating in the country. The discovery of these facilities marks a significant victory in the fight against organized crime but also highlights the challenges ahead.
In the heart of the Philippines, police have discovered secret medical facilities believed to be linked to the notorious POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operators) industry, an illegal online gambling hub. Reports point to the possible existence of two more such secret hospitals.
The bold revelation came on the heels of a daring police raid on a secret hospital that operated as an online gambling den in the bustling heart of Pasay City. At this surprising recovery site, investigators found a bewildering array of tools and equipment—from dental implants to hair transplant paraphernalia to even skin bleaching agents.
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It’s easy to underestimate the significance of these seemingly innocuous surgical instruments. But as Winston John Casino, the eloquent spokesman for the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), has noted, “You put all these things together and you can make a whole new person.”
It is likely that these secret hospitals were, in fact, lifelines for POGO workers with health problems who were unable to access regular health care due to their illegal status or because they were victims of human trafficking to the Philippines. In a chilling twist, authorities also suspect that these underground medical facilities are sophisticated hideouts where wanted fugitives undergo physical alterations to evade law enforcement.
POGO – dominated by Chinese operators – rose to prominence during the reign of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who allowed the online gambling industry to flourish, conditionally keeping it away from Filipino citizens and focusing exclusively on China, where internet gambling is banned.
The baton has now been passed to President Bongbong Marcos, who has vowed to bring down the POGOs – some of which are notorious for luring workers into their scam centers. Only in June last year did police rescue 150 Chinese victims from a POGO labyrinth in Porac, Pampanga province, revealing gruesome torture devices.
The situation appears critical in light of police data reporting more than 4,000 crimes committed in connection with POGOs, including murder and kidnapping, reported between 2017 and mid-last year. “The President does not want the Philippines to be branded as a ‘scam hub,’ and we are determined to disrupt these illegal activities that victimize countless people worldwide,” Casio said.
The issue is further complicated as authorities investigate possible connections between these underground medical centers and cases of convicts altering their appearance to escape justice. One notable case involves the December 2022 arrest of notorious criminal and suspected Chinese mafia member Andy Chen, who reportedly underwent cosmetic surgery to conceal his true identity as well as his ties to human trafficking and the POGO industry.
Casio has credited a vigilant informant for the discovery and subsequent break-in of the secret clinic, where police arrested three foreign doctors — two from Vietnam and one from China — along with a Chinese pharmacist and a Vietnamese nurse. None of them were licensed to practice medicine in the Philippines.
Casio warns that there may be larger, dark underground hospitals operating in the Metro Manila area and perhaps even the entire country. While this revelation marks a major battle won against such complex organized crime, it also marks the long war that lies ahead.
