Philippine Travel Agency Involved in Fake Document Scheme Linked to Pogo Probe

MANILA, Philippines — A travel agency suspected of issuing questionable but seemingly legitimate Philippine government documents to foreign nationals could be the key link investigators are searching for in the ongoing Senate inquiry into Philippine offshore gaming operations (Pogo).

Travel Agency Linked to Pogo Scandal

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (Paocc) Executive Director Gilberto Cruz made a significant statement during a press briefing on February 6, 2025. Cruz said, “If you’ve been following the Senate hearing, this is the missing link that Senator Shewin Gatchalian and Senator Risa Hontiveros have been referring to—a group that facilitates documents so they can obtain passports, PSA birth certificates, and late registrations.”

Entrapment Operation Yields Suspects

The Paocc conducted an undercover operation on February 5, 2025, against travel and visa consultancy firm JRB Travel and Consultancy Services Inc. in Intramuros, Manila. The joint operation led to the arrest of Rosalie Bermas Bolaños and Jaive Espolong Nobleta for illegally processing Philippine government identification cards for foreign nationals.

During the investigation, Cruz stated, “Here, we found that they processed marriage certificates. We also recovered birth certificates, and finally, a passport where the photo is clearly of a foreign national but she’s bearing a Filipino name.”

Authentic Documents with Suspicious Origins

Despite the suspicious nature of these documents, Cruz explained that they are authentic because they were sent by mail and bear official receipts from the PSA. “We will check with the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and we will ask if such a person exists,” Cruz added.

Extortion Scheme and Impersonation

The suspects were also arrested for impersonating Paocc personnel. Cruz detailed that two complainants approached the Office of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission on February 4, 2025, reporting an extortion scheme. “They reported that individuals claiming to be Paocc employees were trying to extract large sums of money,” Cruz said.

One complainant disclosed she paid P900,000 to secure her fiancé’s release and prevent his deportation, while the other paid P1.1 million for her husband’s release. Cruz clarified that no actual Paocc personnel were involved in these operations. “They were merely posing as members of Paocc,” he emphasized.

Big-Scale Syndicate

Cruz described the operation as a “big-scale syndicate,” indicating that the travel agency might have connections within various government agencies. “It’s clear they feel emboldened because they have contacts in agencies, not just the Bureau of Immigration but also in other agencies like the PSA and possibly even the LTO,” Cruz explained.

Operational Tactics

The syndicate operates discreetly when under scrutiny but resumes its activities once the situation eases. “They only lie low when the pressure is on. Once they feel things have calmed down, they strike again. Maybe their key contacts haven’t been exposed yet,” he said.

Call for Scrutiny Among Agencies

Cruz emphasized the need for government agencies to closely scrutinize their personnel. “We need to investigate this because there aren’t that many of them. We pursued this case because we don’t want Paocc’s reputation to be damaged. I hope other agencies do the same because this won’t stop as long as their contacts are still in place,” he concluded.