Scam-hub crisis pushes Philippines, Cambodia closer in pursuit of police cooperation

MANILA – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s state visit to Cambodia from Sept 7 to 9 places a spotlight on one of South-east Asia’s most urgent and complex security challenges: the rise of transnational scam hubs.

At the heart of the visit was an expanded police cooperation agreement between the Philippines and Cambodia, aimed at tackling cyber fraud, human trafficking and cross-border syndicates that have turned parts of the region into hubs for online crime.