Recently, Gilberto Cruz, the Deputy Minister of the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), led a delegation to Shanghai, China, for a series of intensive talks with senior officials of the Chinese public security system. The core focus was on the joint rectification of Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO) and transnational fraud crimes. This visit marks a higher level of law enforcement cooperation between China and the Philippines, highlighting the sensitive focus of bilateral law enforcement cooperation on the POGO issue.
The direct cause of the visit was the deportation of 100 Chinese nationals suspected of illegal gambling activities by the Philippines. The operation was led by PAOCC and carried out in conjunction with the Immigration Bureau, with the handover completed in Shanghai. Upon arrival, Cruz's delegation immediately met with the Shanghai Municipal Criminal Investigation Bureau (CID), where Deputy Director Yin Xiangjian promised active assistance in identifying and expelling fraud-related personnel.
On June 19, Cruz further visited Liu Zhongyi, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Public Security of China, to exchange views on combating telecommunications fraud, cybercrime, and organized transnational crime, and to report on the law enforcement achievements of the Philippine side: 3483 arrests, 2517 deportations, 41 fugitives captured, and a large amount of illegal funds seized. He specifically pointed out that the investigation related to POGO is still ongoing and the situation is severe.
The Chinese side proposed several cooperation suggestions, including accelerating the repatriation of suspects, establishing a permanent institution for Chinese affairs, jointly combating money laundering and cross-border financial flows, and promoting law enforcement training and personnel exchanges. Cruz responded positively, stating that PAOCC will cooperate in establishing a China Affairs Office and assist in handling cases of high concern to the Chinese side, such as the high-profile "Anson Que case".
The Chinese side also disclosed that there have been 60 serious crime records involving Chinese citizens victimized in the Philippines, including 17 deaths, some of which may be related to the 66 unidentified bodies found in the third district of the Philippines in 2023. To promote case investigation and tracking, the Chinese side hopes to establish a permanent coordination mechanism as soon as possible.
Deputy Minister Cruz visited the People's Public Security University of China, engaging in in-depth discussions with the university on law enforcement education and personnel training, laying the foundation for long-term police cooperation between the two countries. This high-level interaction indicates that China and the Philippines are moving from individual case cooperation to institutionalized and systematic collaboration in the governance of POGO and transnational crimes, which may further impact the offshore gaming industry ecosystem in the future.
