The Bureau of Immigration (BI) deported a total of 98 Chinese nationals after being caught working under an illegal POGO company, in line with the government’s ongoing crackdown on illegal offshore gaming operations.

This follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to put an end to POGO operations in the country, as part of broader efforts to protect national security and curb transnational crimes linked to these establishments.

The deportees boarded a Philippine Airlines chartered flight to Xi’an, China on the evening of February 25.

A total of 91 Chinese nationals were part of the 450 individuals arrested on January 8 in a commercial building in Parañaque City, while another seven were from the BI’s detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig.

Since January, the BI has apprehended more than 500 foreign nationals in separate operations in Parañaque, Cavite, and Pasay City. Of these, a total of 226 have been deported. BI News