Philippines Deports 91 Illegal Chinese POGO Workers

The Philippines has extradited dozens of Chinese natives who had been arrested for involvement in illegal online casino operations. The foreigners were sent back to China, where they will likely face prosecution due to their involvement with the banned industry.

The Philippines Continues to Struggle with POGO Remnants

The Bureau of Immigration of the Philippines (BI) announced that its latest crackdown on illegal online gambling has led to the arrests of dozens of Chinese nationals. The BI confirmed that 91 such individuals were deported to China due to their involvement with the criminalized industry.

For context, the Philippines used to support a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) framework, allowing foreign companies to operate online gambling on its territory. The industry attracted many workers from all over Asia, but unfortunately came to be known for its involvement with fraud and crime.

As a result, the Philippines ended up banning POGOs and took decisive steps to get things under control. This proved to involve certain challenges, as many POGOs refused to simply leave and began running “guerrilla” gambling operations. The government responded with crackdowns and deportations, highlighting its commitment to ensuring that its rules are being followed.

The Workers Were Flown Back Home

As mentioned, the Philippines has now sent 91 Chinese nationals tied to the POGO industry back home, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. The official announcement confirmed that the group departed aboard a Philippine Airlines Flight on September 19 and that the flight was arranged by the Chinese embassy.

The deportation was led by BI’s Deportation and Implementation Unit (DIU) and was supported by other governmental agencies.

Most of these individuals will likely face prosecution back home since China’s strict stance on gambling prohibits its citizens from both participating in gambling and working within the industry.

In the meantime, the BI noted that there are other POGO arrestees who remain in custody.

The Philippines Will Not Tolerate Illegal Workers

BI commissioner Joel Anthony Viado highlighted the Philippine government’s firm stance on illegal foreign workers, saying that the country will not hesitate to penalize violators.

We remain steadfast in enforcing our immigration laws. Those who abuse their stay in the Philippines and engage in unlawful activities will be dealt with accordingly.

BI commissioner Joel Anthony Viado

In other news, Senate President Francis Escudero was recently removed from his position due to accusations of misusing flood mitigation funds and laundering them through local casinos.