The Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) signed a memorandum of agreement at Camp Crame in Quezon City. The deal sets out a formal framework for joint investigations, digital forensics, case development, and coordinated enforcement.
According to the statement made by the Executive Director of CICC, Renato Paraiso, the agency’s digital forensic capabilities are going to combine with PAOCC’s enforcement capabilities to create a new partnership. The Executive Director of PAOCC, Benjamin Acorda, noted that this cooperation will focus on organized crime groups that are utilizing digital means of operation such as illegal gambling networks.
The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 provides both agencies with the authority to investigate and prosecute cybercrime.
The agreement provides explicit reference to online POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators), raising additional concerns about the activity within the industry. The ban on POGO activity took effect in 2024; however, there are still ongoing efforts by law enforcement to disrupt illegal gambling networks that are operating in the same manner as prior to the ban.
By including online POGOs within the agreement, law enforcement efforts will be directed toward eliminating both new illegal gambling sites, as well as residual offshore POGO operators still able to function under the previous regulations.
For both the providers and operators of gambling platforms in the Philippine marketplace, the agreement changes the dynamic surrounding coordination and support for enforcement initiatives. By aligning the country’s primary anti-organized crime agency with the country’s premier cybercrime agency, enforcement officials will have improved capabilities to stop complex, cross-border gambling operations.
