23 POGO workers plead not guilty before Pasay court

Twenty-three individuals allegedly involved in the illegal operations of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) on Wednesday pleaded not guilty before a Pasay court.

Atty. Gloria Quintos said the POGO workers pleaded not guilty before the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 111 for violation of Republic Act (RA) 8799 or the Securities Regulation Code in relation to RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

“They were not allowed to be here so video conference na lang,” Quintos, legal counsel of 18 of the respondents, said in an ambush interview.

She said five other respondents asked for their arraignment to be deferred while they are securing an accredited interpreter.

Quintos said the next hearing is scheduled on September 6, Wednesday.

In recommending the filing of the charges, the DOJ said the National Bureau of Investigation uncovered compelling evidence that the POGO is involved in “fraudulent activities, particularly in the realms of tasking and recharging scams.”

Meanwhile, Quintos said the missing Chinese respondent has yet to be found.

Last week, the Justice Department said a tracker team had been formed to search for the missing Chinese national.

“'Yung nawawala kong client is not around. He cannot be located as of this time,” Quintos said. “No communication at all after the time that he was missing.”

She said the NBI also has no information on the whereabouts of her client.—AOL, GMA Integrated News