BI deports 98 Chinese POGO workers

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Wednesday it deported 98 Chinese citizens who were recently arrested for working in illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) firms.

According to BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado, the foreign POGO workers left for Xi’An, China on Tuesday evening via a Philippine Airlines (PAL) chartered flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.

Viado said 91 were part of the 453 foreign workers who were nabbed during a large-scale raid of a POGO hub in Parañaque City last month while seven others were from the BI detention facility who were arrested in earlier operations.

“The swift and efficient deportation of these individuals is our top priority. We are working closely with our partner-agencies to ensure that these foreign nationals are removed from the country in the soonest possible time,” said Viado. 

“The longer they stay, the more resources the government has to allocate for their custody. This is why we take the fastest available option for their departure. Our priority is to clear them out as quickly as possible,” he added. 

Since January, Immigration said it apprehended more than 500 foreign nationals linked to illegal POGO activities in separate operations in Pasay City, Parañaque City and Cavite, of whom, a total of 226 have been deported.  

Meanwhile, Viado said 10 Vietnamese POGO workers were likewise deported on February 26. They exited the Philippines via another commercial flight. 

“This is a clear message that the Philippines will not be a safe haven for illegal activities,” he said.

On Monday, the BI said it coordinated with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)  for the swift issuance of clearances for the POGO workers. The clearance is among the three documentary requirements for deportation: a valid passport or travel document, a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance to confirm no pending accountability, and an outbound ticket. — Sundy Locus/RF, GMA Integrated News