THE government yesterday deported 187 Chinese nationals who were arrested during separate operations against Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) illegally operating in the country.
Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) executive director Gilbert Cruz said the POGO workers departed Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at 12:10 p.m. aboard the PR336 flight bound to Shanghai, China.
The flight was due to arrive at the Shanghai Pudong Airport-Terminal at 3:50 p.m. yesterday.
The 187 Chinese nationals were apprehended by PAOCC operatives in the past months during separate raids of POGO hubs in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu, Bamban town in Tarlac, Porac town in Pampanga, and in Metro Manila.
Cruz said not all the foreigners who were arrested during the POGO raids have been deported.
He said those who have been charged in court for their direct involvement in the operation of the offshore gaming hubs will need to finish the prosecution of their cases and serve their jail sentences if they are found guilty. He did not provide an exact figure.
Cruz said the 187 foreigners were deported for violation of the country’s immigration laws.
“If you are a foreigner, you have to present your documents, passport. When they were arrested, they were not able to present any,” he said.
“They are (considered) undesirable aliens, their offense is violation of immigration laws, so they are subject to deportation,” he added.
Cruz said the deportation of the 187 Chinese was coordinated with the Chinese embassy in Manila.
“They are not considered as victims. They are all considered as POGO operators, criminals, operators of scamming hub,” he said.
He said it would be up to the Chinese nationals to prove that they are “victims” when they arrive in China to avoid being jailed.
“Since China is against illegal gambling and scamming, its automatic they will be detained,” he added.
