Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773209984777viber_image_2026-03-11_10-01-20.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Authorities have arrested four Korean nationals for allegedly operating an illegal online gambling hub inside a condominium unit in Cebu City. <em>PNP-ACG via Karen de Guzman, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Authorities have arrested four Korean nationals for allegedly operating an illegal online gambling hub inside a condominium unit in Cebu City.</p><p>Acting on a tip, authorities conducted validation and discreet surveillance operations, which later confirmed the reported illegal activities, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2026/3/4/more-than-1-800-complaints-vs-online-gambling-sites-received-from-jan-march-cicc-1841">More than 1,800 complaints vs. online gambling sites received from Jan-March: CICC</a></div><p>Authorities implemented a warrant to search, seize, and examine computer data at the condominium unit, where several digital devices and related equipment believed to have been used in the operation were seized, PNP-ACG acting director Brig. Gen. Wilson Asueta said.</p><p>The items were marked, inventoried, and secured as evidence.</p><p>Based on the investigation, the online gambling operation is not authorized or licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor).</p><p>Asueta warned that illegal gambling platforms may manipulate betting outcomes to deceive players.</p><div><br/></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-3&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2031564261785481558&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-03-11T05%3A41%3A04.472767%3A2ea2fc4a-c0f6-4249-9690-fcf9bd17b0b0%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=9264b101ff529851ae7275df340abe034ae18348&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:495px;height:645px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2031564261785481558"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><p>&quot;There’s a tendency na ang mga tumataya diyan ay sa umpisa papanalunin. Then later on, talo rin kayo kasi they can manipulate the system. Hindi sila regulated ng ating Pagcor,&quot; Asueta said.</p><p>Investigators believed the operation had been running for about five years, although authorities were still determining whether the group transferred locations during that period.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BAIL</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The four suspects are facing charges for violation of the Anti-Illegal Numbers Games Law, in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.</p><p>The suspects later posted bail amounting to P120,000 each.</p><p>Authorities are now looking into the possibility that the suspects may have connections to a wider network operating in the country.</p><p>The PNP-ACG is also investigating whether the condominium unit owner may have had knowledge or involvement in the illegal operation.</p><p>Meanwhile, authorities are coordinating with relevant agencies to verify the immigration and residency status of the foreign nationals in the country.</p><p>The PNP-ACG urged the public not to patronize illegal online gambling platforms and to only engage with gaming sites authorized by Pagcor.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TV1Vcb1dIOA?&amp;t=275s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Authorities have arrested four Korean nationals for allegedly operating an illegal online gambling hub inside a condominium unit in Cebu City.</p>

Authorities have arrested four Korean nationals for allegedly operating an illegal online gambling hub inside a condominium unit in Cebu City.

4 Korean nationals arrested over alleged illegal online gambling operations in Cebu

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4 Korean nationals arrested over alleged illegal online gambling operations in Cebu

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 11, 2026 02:23 PM PHT

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Online Gambling

Korean

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