MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Monday it is looking into the possible links between Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) and espionage in the country.  

NBI spokesperson Director Ferdinand Lavin made the remark during the 15th and final hearing of the House Quad Committee.

He said they are in full support of efforts of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and they are coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and Philippine National Police (PNP).  

"We have done investigations, however limited mister chair. Nag-iba na po sila ng type of operations. Ito na po yung scamming, after yung ban ng POGO operations, nag-iba na po sila ng operations," Lavin said. 

"We conducted some operations in violation of the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act," he added.

The NBI spokesperson reacted to the remark of House Committee on Human Rights Chairperson Rep. Bienvenido Abante that the issue is also spilling over to matters of national security.  

"As a matter of fact, in some operations by the NBI relative to the issues on foreign espionage, nakita namin that. We are completing our data on the nexus, yung interconnection ng operations ng POGO and espionage," Lavin said.

He said they will share the copy of their report to the panel once completed.

"We have filed cases against a number of foreign nationals involved in various espionage activities," Lavin said. 

When asked if the NBI investigation shows there is a connection between POGO and espionage, Lavin said they are “going into that direction.”

"We’re doing some digital forensic examination on the gadgets we seized during the various operations, both financial scamming activities and the espionage activities," he added. 

Last November 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued an executive order officially banning POGOs in the country.

Marcos Jr. gave POGOs until December 2024 to end operations and leave the country.