THE Bureau of Immigration yesterday said it has deported 84 Chinese nationals who were previously arrested in separate operations in Tarlac, Cebu and Paranaque for working in illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) facilities.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the 84 Chinese were deported last April 11 in close coordination with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
They were flown on board a Philippine Airlines direct flight to Beijing.
“This operation reflects our strong resolve to implement President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to shut down illegal POGOs and remove foreign nationals who violate our immigration laws,” Viado said.
“We are grateful to the PAOCC and the Chinese Embassy for their seamless coordination throughout the process,” he added.
The Chinese nationals, according to Viado, were found to be overstaying or undocumented. They were turned over to the BI after they were arrested in a series of enforcement operations by the PAOCC and the NBI in Tarlac, Cebu, and Parañaque.
“This is a stern warning to all illegal foreign operators, we are watching, and we will act decisively,” he said.
Viado said the BI is continuously conducting extensive manhunt operations in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies against the remaining POGO foreign workers in the country who are now considered as illegal aliens after the December 31, 2024 deadline set by Malacañang for them to voluntarily leave the country expired.
The BI said 22,609 POGO foreign workers complied with the Palace directive and left the country before the December 31 deadline.
Majority of the remaining foreign POGO workers are Chinese and Vietnamese nationals.
