He told the senators that when PAGCOR inspectors visited the POGO site once a week, half of the trafficking victims would quietly hide in the dormitory with the shades closed and doors locked. Jason spoke to VOA after testifying in front of the Senate committee. One of them, Jason, who’s real identity and nationality VOA agreed not to reveal due to safety concerns, said he traveled to the Philippines thinking he had a legitimate marketing job only to be forced to carry-out cryptocurrency scams on American and Canadian men who Jason tricked into thinking he was a woman. The victims in this case were trafficked from 11 countries across Asia. Because PAGCOR is corrupt and not doing its job.” POGOs being used as fronts for human trafficking. The Philippines is becoming a scam hub”, said Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. (Dave Grunebaum/VOA)Īt the hearing, senators sharply criticized officials from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), which regulates the country’s online casinos. Families of trafficking victims have held demonstrations including this candlelight vigil in Malaysia.
