Police and security personnel stand inside a building in Manila where the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group raided an alleged scam hub on Oct. 30, 2024. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17307081410491730522048578GbFznJNbAAAoxfz.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Police and security personnel stand inside a building in Manila where the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group raided an alleged scam hub on Oct. 30, 2024. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Police and security personnel stand inside a building in Manila where the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group raided an alleged scam hub on Oct. 30, 2024. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News</span> </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday maintained the raid on the alleged scam hub in Malate, Manila, where at least 69 foreigners were apprehended, was legitimate.</p><p>The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) previously called the operation in a 40-story tower “flawed” following the release of the 69 foreigners, who could not be legally detained. The agency said it was not associated with the operation.</p><p>PNP spokesperson BGen. Jean Fajardo argued that PAOCC was not included in the operation because it was a fraud case, not a trafficking case, and does not require the presence of PAOCC or the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/2/bi-awaits-turnover-of-foreign-nationals-nabbed-in-raid-on-alleged-scam-hub-1234">BI awaits turnover of foreign nationals nabbed in raid on alleged scam hub</a></div><p>“With due respect to PAOCC, it is perhaps not appropriate for government agencies to question the operations of other agencies,” she said.</p><p>Fajardo said the security officers from the tower and barangay officials were present during the execution of the search warrant to ensure transparency. The police were also wearing body-worn cameras.</p><p>“On the part of the PNP, I spoke earlier with the Regional Director of the National Capital Region Police Office and the director of the Anti-Cybercrime Group; they are standing by their police operations,” Fajardo added.</p><p>On October 29, the PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) led the raid on the scam hub located on the 23rd floor of the tower, which was operated by foreign nationals engaged in cryptocurrency and romance scams. Authorities confiscated mobile phones, desktop computers, laptops, and various SIM cards.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/8/9/pse-warns-vs-crypto-scam-using-name-and-logo-1842">PSE warns vs crypto scam using name and logo</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/04/23/man-on-dating-app-loses-p100k-to-love-scam">Man on dating app loses P100k to &#x27;love scam&#x27;</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/05/16/23/victims-go-after-alleged-traffickers-engaged-in-love-scam">Victims go after alleged traffickers engaged in &#x27;love scam&#x27;</a></div><p>Among those apprehended were 34 Indonesians, 10 Malaysians, and 25 Chinese nationals — 10 females and 59 males.</p><p>“After being documented, they were taken to the NCRPO office where the Bureau of Immigration conducted further documentation, including biometrics. However, since no cases have been filed yet, they were turned over to their respective embassies, and their names have been documented by the BI,” Fajardo said.</p><p>The 23rd floor, considered a crime scene, remains under the immediate control of the operating unit for processing.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/30/hinihinalang-scam-hub-sa-adriatico-maynila-sinalakay-ng-pulisya-2118">Hinihinalang scam hub sa Adriatico, Maynila sinalakay ng pulisya</a></div>

<p>The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday maintained the raid on the alleged scam hub in Malate, Manila, where at least 69 foreigners were apprehended, was legitimate.</p>

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday maintained the raid on the alleged scam hub in Malate, Manila, where at least 69 foreigners were apprehended, was legitimate.

PNP says raid on alleged Malate scam hub legitimate despite PAOCC’s criticism | ABS-CBN

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PNP says raid on alleged Malate scam hub legitimate despite PAOCC’s criticism

PNP says raid on alleged Malate scam hub legitimate despite PAOCC’s criticism

Michael Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 04, 2024 04:23 PM PHT

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Updated Nov 04, 2024 05:00 PM PHT

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