Authorities comb through BPO-like hub in Bataan
BAGAC, Bataan – Central One Bataan, a business process outsourcing hub suspected of being a scam operation and employing 1,500 workers in the freeport zone of Bagac, Bataan, was raided by authorities on Halloween, October 31.
The operation was led by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), along with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). The raid was conducted under a search warrant signed by Presiding Judge Hermenegildo Dumlao II of Malolos City, Bulacan, for violations related to qualified trafficking against 15 individuals.
According to PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio, Central One is engaged in backend operations for various online gambling platforms and is not registered and neither holds a license from the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (Pagcor). However, it is authorized to operate under the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB).
Casio said Central One has been operating for less than two years and has not obtained any permits from Pagcor since its inception. It is predominantly Malaysian and manages operations for betting sites in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Brazil.
“Despite being located within the AFAB, the nature of their operations necessitates a Pagcor license. They facilitate money transfers for online betting applications and provide crypto services, both of which are currently not permitted by Pagcor or our banking system,” Casio said.
“In plain view principle, nakita natin si Winbox platform sa taas. So that is already a red flag, a probable cause for us that allow us to apply for a cyber warrant,” Casio added. “The foreign incorporators and workers have violated their immigration status in various ways and will therefore be charged by the Bureau of Immigration.”
Winbox is an online betting platform associated with scamming activities and has been banned in several countries around the world, PAOCC said.
AFAB, in a statement, confirmed that Central One is a registered enterprise operating in the FAB expansion area.
“AFAB confirms that Central One Bataan PH, Inc. is registered with the Freeport Area of Bataan and is currently operating in a FAB Expansion Area located in Bagac, Bataan,” the statement read.
“AFAB, either independently or in collaboration with other regulatory bodies, regularly conducts inspections of our locators and registered enterprises to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of their authority,” it furthered.
Central One features six buildings on a 2.6-hectare property, equipped with amenities such as a café, gym, and executive villa, supported by a P600 million investment. The workforce mostly consists of Filipinos, along with 57 foreign nationals from Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, and Thailand.
The raid came as a surprise as local officials held an ocular visit in June following the series of raids conducted in Porac, Pampanga and Bamban, Tarlac.
Three months after the banning of Philippine offshore gaming operations, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to issue an executive order as freeport and economic zones in the country remain a gray area. –Photos by PIA