Authorities have deported 131 foreign nationals arrested in last year’s major raid at the Tourist Garden Hotel in Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City, while trafficking charges have been filed against seven individuals now in the custody of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), as reported by RH Jecelle Ricafort.
The operation, carried out last year by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) alongside the National Bureau of Investigation–Cebu District Office and other government agencies, led to the rescue of six Indonesian nationals who were allegedly held against their will.
Prosecutors have also filed seven counts of Qualified Trafficking in Persons before Branch 73 of the Regional Trial Court in Lapu-Lapu City, naming 17 respondents. Authorities said the case stemmed from fraudulent companies operating within the compound, an expansive facility with hotels, villas, restaurants, and entertainment areas.
The Cebu operation marked the first major inter-agency crackdown following President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s announcement of a nationwide ban on Offshore Gaming Operations during his 2024 State of the Nation Address.
Officials stressed that the deportations and the filing of trafficking cases underscore the government’s intensified campaign against organized crime, human trafficking, and scam hubs operating under the guise of legitimate businesses.
