PAOCC asks BI to prevent POGO workers from using connecting flights to evade deportation

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has requested the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to stop POGO workers from using connecting flights during deportation to prevent them from evading repatriation.

PAOCC Spokesperson Winston Casio stated that some POGO workers have evaded deportation by not boarding their connecting flights in transit destinations like Kuala Lumpur or Macau.

This measure aims to ensure that POGO workers face justice in China, where gambling committed abroad is a crime.

The Chinese embassy has also coordinated with PAOCC and requested the BI to avoid layovers as their nationals are escaping, according to Casio.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado emphasized that the swift removal of individuals from the Philippines is a top priority to reduce detention expenses, which have amounted to approximately P210 million since 2023.

Viado mentioned that the BI utilizes available flights, including those with layovers, to send deportees out of the country as quickly as possible.

The BI's standard deportation procedures require a valid passport or travel document, an NBI clearance, and an outbound ticket.