PAOCC: 84 Chinese nationals from illegal POGOs deported

Eighty-four Chinese nationals from illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) were deported back to China on Friday, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).

The Chinese nationals were from the raided POGOs in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga.

“Almost kalahati maiiwan sa Shanghai. ‘Yun po ‘yung galing ng Bamban. Doon po sila kinasuhan ng China, eh. ‘Yung kalahati naman mahigit papunta ng Xi’An. ‘Yun po ‘yung galing ng Porac, Pampanga,” PAOCC spokesperson Dr. Winston Casio said in an interview.

(Almost half will be left behind in Shanghai. They came from Bamban. They were sued by China there. The others will go to Xi'An. These ones came from Porac, Pampanga.)

A total of 88 Chinese nationals were initially set to be deported, but Casio said four were offloaded after creating a ruckus inside the plane.

Casio said they also discovered that others who should have been deported had new preliminary hold departures (PHDOs) issued against them.

“Na lift na kasi nung Bureau of Immigration ‘yung PHDO na ‘yun, then meron na naman nag file ng kaso para magkaroon ng hold departure order,” he said.

(The Bureau of Immigration lifted the PHDO, but then someone filed a case to obtain a hold departure order.)

“[Y]ung ibang mga kasamahan siguro nila kinakasuhan siguro sila para hindi natin sila ma deport. Cleared na sila the other week then all of a sudden hindi na naman sila cleared,” he added.

(Maybe some of their colleagues are charging them so they won't be deported. They were cleared just last week, but then suddenly, they're not cleared anymore.)

The spokesperson said this is one of things that PAOCC is seeking to investigate.

Meanwhile, Casio said that the government is spending P200,000 to P250,000 per month as humanitarian assistance for their witnesses and other individuals.

According to Casio, a total of 1,777 foreigners have been deported out of the country while 309 are waiting to be deported.

During his third State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he is banning all POGOs in the country by the end of the year. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News