Delayed deportation of foreign POGO workers questioned in Senate

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Thursday flagged the delayed deportation of foreign POGO workers, warning that the delays might open room for corruption.

In a Senate hearing, Tulfo inquired about the deportation of foreign individuals who were apprehended in a raid in Parañaque last January 8 or after the total ban on POGOs took effect.

Of the 438 who were apprehended, Bureau of Immigration legal department chief Arvin Santos said "almost half" were deported.

"'Yung kinekwestyon ko 'yung bagal ng sistema. Gusto ko mabilisan para di tayo pagdududahan. Kasi pag nagdi-dilly dally kayo, nagbabagal-bagalan kayo, pagdududahan kayo. Kalahati pa lang ang nade-deport January 8 pa, baka nag-aantay ng pag areglo kaya 'di pa nade-deport," Tulfo said.

Santos explained that there were requirements like passport, clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation, and plane tickets before the foreign workers could be deported.

"Ang challenge ho namin, 'yung mga nahuli kasi wala 'yung passport. So we've requested from the embassy for their travel documents," he said.

Tulfo has imposed a "deadline" on the BI and urged them to deport the remaining foreign POGO workers in the next two weeks.

“Kasi 'pag di mo ipa-deport ito in two weeks, magdududa, magtataasan tayo lahat ng kilay dito baka merong iniintay. Baka mamaya, later on papatakasin 'to, baka may mga gustong umarbor, baka mayroong mga gustong kumakausap kaya dine-delay ang deportation," the senator said.

Santos said they would comply.

During the hearing, Santos also disclosed that only 22,609 of the 33,864 foreign POGO workers had left the country as of December 31, 2024.

Santos said the remaining foreign POGO workers are "subject of law enforcement operations."

Tulfo raised an alarm on this, noting that thousands of foreign individuals who formerly worked for POGOs are still in the country and might be staying here to work in illegal offshore gaming operations.

"Kunyari sila ay style BPO, service provider. Nagpo-provide ng parang gaming to their client, but they're still pogo. And we have to account for these people," Tulfo said.

This was confirmed by retired Brigadier General Raul Villanueva who is the senior vice president for security and monitoring cluster of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

"Some of these have gone on guerilla operations already . May nasa bahay bahay na. We are finalizing this target... we will endorse it to PAOCC. Marami kasi sila. Hiwa-hiwalay na sila. 'Yung iba pumunta na nga sa islands," Villanueva said.

The PAGCOR official also mentioned around 20 plus complaints that they received, informing them about sightings of illegal offshore gaming operations.

The PAGCOR and BI said they continue their coordination with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission to conduct law enforcement operations amid the reported illegal offshore gaming operations where some foreigners who were not yet deported are working.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in July last year banned all POGOs after several such businesses were implicated in crimes, including human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and money scams.

In November 2024, Marcos issued Executive Order 74, which states that the ban on POGOs and internet gaming licenses shall encompass illegal offshore gaming operations, license applications, license renewals, and cessation of operations.—LDF, GMA Integrated News