15 Chinese, 1 Pinoy held for illegal online gambling

MANILA, Philippines - Fifteen Chinese – 10 men and five women – and a Filipino were arrested for their alleged involvement in an illegal online gambling operation in Pasig City on Monday.

Acting on a tip received in January, police officers from the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) raided the office of YD International Inc. on the 18th floor of Belvedere Tower at around 8 p.m.

“This company has been playing online games. It means they are operating as an illegal online gambling (firm),” ACG spokesperson Superintendent Jay Guillermo said in a television interview.

Guillermo, in a text message, said YD International has been operating for more than a year. After an investigation that lasted two months, they found that the firm is not authorized by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to operate an online gambling business in the country.

Russelbert Villar was arrested along with Wu Haotao, Hu Ha, Li Jing, Fei Yang, Guo Ming Jie, Jiang Peng, Lin Peng, Li Jian, Zhang, Xian Jie, Guo Han, Wei Xue Ling, Xu Zhixia, Shi Yun, Gao Zi Zhuang and Lian Ling Fang.

The suspects were charged with violating the cybercrime prevention law, Republic Act 10175, before the office of Assistant State Prosecutor Jeannette Dacpano.

The raiding team seized computers, mobile phones, tablets, Chinese ATM cards, passports and identification cards from the suspects in the office owned by Jonah Tee and Mica Wang.

The ACG alleged that YD’s operation had no permit and the Chinese only carried tourist visas.