BI deports 180 Chinese arrested in illegal POGO hub in Pasay City
A total of 180 Chinese nationals were deported on Thursday, Dec. 14, following the raid last October of an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) facility which was found engaged in online scams and prostitution in Pasay City, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.
“We will not tolerate foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality and use our land for their unscrupulous activities,” said BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco in a statement.
“Foreigners who blatantly violate our laws will face deportation and blacklisting,” Tansingco warned.
He said the 180 Chinese were taken to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 where they boarded a Philippine Airlines flight to Shanghai.
He said the foreigners were among those arrested in the premises of Smart Web Technology Corp. in Pasay City during an operation led by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC).
He also said the foreigners were found involved in human trafficking activities such as prostitution and labor-exploitation.
“Their activities are contrary to local laws and public interest, hence making them undesirable aliens,” he said.
He also said the 180 Chinese were deported after the BI issued a summary deportation order for being undocumented and undesirable aliens.