Govt deports 91 Chinese nabbed in Pogo hubs
The government deported on Friday 91 Chinese nationals in a major crackdown on Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) and online fraud syndicates, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said.
Of those sent home, 89 were linked to illegal gaming and scam operations, while two were caught for unauthorized mining. They were placed on a Philippine Airlines flight to Shanghai that departed from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 at 10:40 a.m., according to the PAOCC.
The PAOCC said the deportations followed months of coordinated raids that dismantled criminal hubs in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Laguna and Cebu. The areas have been repeatedly identified by law enforcement agencies as centers of Pogo-related crime.
An additional 12 Chinese nationals were also supposed to be deported but were barred from leaving after failing to receive implementation orders from the Bureau of Immigration (BI). They were returned to the custodial facility in the meantime, the PAOCC said.
The PAOCC added that they will coordinate with the BI regarding the matter, and the 12 Chinese nationals will still be deported accordingly.
