BI expedites deportation of 84 Chinese POGO workers

On Monday, April 14, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) pledged to expedite the deportation of foreign workers from banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), deporting 84 Chinese nationals on April 11.

These individuals were arrested during government operations in Tarlac, Cebu, and Paranaque City for overstaying or being undocumented.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado assured that the deportation was carried out in close coordination with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Chinese Embassy in Manila.

The bureau reaffirmed its commitment to support law enforcement agencies in securing the country's borders and rooting out foreign-linked criminal activities, emphasizing a strong resolve to enforce immigration laws.

Viado warned that the BI will act decisively against illegal foreign operators, adding that more than 2,000 POGO workers have had their visas downgraded or canceled, with about 8,000 remaining in the country illegally.