By Genalyn Kabiling
The government is committed to enforce the law and deport any foreigner violating the country's immigration rules.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN)
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the statement after China announced a crackdown on cross-border criminal activities related to online gambling committed by some nationals.
"Ang posisyon sa Executive, kung may violation (The position of the Executive is if there is a violation), we will have to enforce the law. Iyon lang (That's it). Lahat ng mga illegal entrants (All those who entered illegally), we will send them back to where they came from," Panelo said in a recent radio interview.
Panelo said the Bureau of Immigration is the state agency assigned to determine any violation of Chinese entering the country.
In an effort to clamp down on crimes arising from illegal online gambling, China earlier disclosed that it has a list of nationals allegedly involved in telecommunication fraud crimes.
In a statement last weekend, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said China has committed to work with the Philippines to fight crimes such as telecommunications fraud, illegal online gambling, money laundering, and other illegal activities. It noted that China has required its citizens overseas to follow local laws as well as not to work illegally in foreign countries.
"In order to crack down on cross-border telecommunication fraud crimes, the Ministry of Public Security of China has obtained a list of Chinese nationals suspected of committing long-term telecommunication fraud crimes abroad, who are classified as the persons prohibited from exiting China according to the Exit-Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China," the statement from the embassy read.
"Such operations are aimed at the suspects of Chinese nationals who have committed telecommunications fraud crimes in different countries," it added.
The President earlier refused to put a stop to the booming Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), saying the country needed job-generating investments. Duterte, however, warned POGOs to settle their tax obligations to the government or else risk adverse consequences such as closure.
Beijing, which prohibits gambling among its nationals, earlier blamed offshore gaming operations for rampant money laundering and social ills in China. It also raised concerns that these gambling hubs have illegally recruited its nationals.