Gatchalian urges BI, NBI to speed up POGO worker deportation

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to expedite the deportation of foreign nationals previously employed by Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

He expressed concern that NBI policies requiring passports, which many POGO workers lack as their documents were confiscated by employers, are causing delays.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has asked the NBI to reconsider its clearance policy for deportable foreign POGO workers.

To address the passport issue, Senator Gatchalian suggested the BI and NBI utilize alternative identification methods like fingerprint records.

A Senate Committee report indicated that illegal financial activities and scam hubs persist despite the POGO ban, with public officials implicated in crimes like human trafficking and money laundering.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. banned POGO operations last year due to their links to organized crime, aligning with directives from his third State of the Nation Address to shut them down by the end of 2024.

A total of 121 POGO workers have been deported this year, and 337 foreign nationals are currently detained by PAOCC awaiting deportation or repatriation.