PAOCC eyes deportation of more than 1,000 POGO workers in 2-3 weeks

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said Sunday it is eyeing the deportation of more than 1,000 Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) workers who are  in their custody.

In an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, executive director Gilbert Cruz said these POGO workers are currently detained at a PAOCC temporary detention facility in Pasay City.

Some of these POGO workers are on dialysis and are being treated for HIV, added Cruz.

Cruz said PAOCC is eyeing the deportation of these foreigners in the next two to three weeks.

“Titingnan natin kung kakayanin ng two to three weeks. Kasi sa dami niyan, isa-isa kailangan lagyan ng dokyumento kasi usually karamihan wala nang passport,” Cruz said.

(We’ll see if we can deport them in two to three weeks because they are a lot. Each of them requires travel documents since most of them no longer have passports.)

He added the cases of deportees without passports are being coordinated with their respective embassies so they could be issued a one-time travel document.

On Friday, seven Indonesian POGO workers surrendered to PAOCC. 

The PAOCC has been coordinating with the Indonesian Embassy in the Philippines for their repatriation.

The Bureau of Immigration earlier said 121 POGO workers out of the 518 arrested this year have been deported. — RF, GMA Integrated News