The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported that it has begun deportation proceedings against 29 foreign workers apprehended for running an illegal online gaming facility, believed to be a "guerrilla-type" Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) in Silang, Cavite.
On January 15, operatives from the Bureau of Immigration’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) and Anti-Terrorist Group (ATG), alongside the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), conducted a raid on the facility.
The operation led to the arrest of 29 aliens, consisting of 23 Chinese nationals and 6 Myanmar nationals.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado instructed prosecutors from the BI Legal Division to proceed to the CIDG and carry out a preliminary investigation on the arrested foreigners.
“Thereafter, the aliens will be charged with immigration violation cases before the BI board of commissioners which will issue the orders for their deportation and their inclusion in our blacklist, effectively banning them from re-entering the country,” said Viado.
Viado explained that the illegal POGO workers were discovered during an operation to capture a Chinese fugitive, who was believed to be hiding at the private resort. However, the fugitive was not found during the raid.
Furthermore, the agents reportedly apprehended the foreign nationals while they were working at various PC stations set up for their online gaming operations.
“Physical custody of these foreigners will be with the PAOCC but they will be under the legal custody of the BI due to ongoing deportation proceedings,” Viado stated.
Meanwhile, Viado mentioned that they are considering filing charges of harboring illegal aliens against the resort's renters.
“If during our investigation, we discover that they have knowingly harbored these illegal workers, then they will face cases for violation of the Philippine immigration law,” Viado explained.
Moreover, Section 46 of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 prohibits the harboring of illegal aliens, with violators facing up to 10 years in prison.
Earlier, the PAOCC issued a strong warning, stating that it would intensify its crackdown on small-scale POGOs, specifically targeting "guerrilla" operations.
The small-scale operations refer to former POGOs that have shifted to smaller setups, often situated in resorts, gated subdivisions, and condominiums.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced a nationwide ban on all POGOs during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), setting the deadline for compliance as December 31, 2024.
