BI prioritizes rapid deportation of POGO workers

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is prioritizing the swift deportation of workers arrested in POGO hubs following a call from the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.

PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio noted that many deportees, primarily Chinese nationals, take connecting flights via Macau or Malaysia and do not return to China.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that their top priority is to expedite the removal of these individuals from the Philippines, citing rising government expenses due to detention costs.

The BI emphasizes that they utilize available flights immediately to ensure rapid deportation, as prolonged detention incurs additional costs for the government and overcrowds detention facilities like Camp Bagong Diwa, which now houses around 300 detainees despite a capacity of only 100.

To streamline the process, the BI coordinates with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for quicker clearances and has successfully deported a group within two weeks last January. On Tuesday, 98 Chinese nationals were deported via a chartered flight to China in coordination with the Chinese embassy.