For Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, it's not normal to ask deportees if they can shoulder the plane tickets that would send them back to their country, yet such was the case for three alleged Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) bosses who eventually never made it to China.

This disappearance was disclosed by Senator Risa Hontiveros during a hearing of the Senate subcommittee on justice’s investigation into former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo and her siblings’ escape from the Philippines.

Hontiveros said that these three were part of the raid of Rirance company where 4,500 Chinese POGO workers were rounded up, but none of them made it back to China. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said that they supposedly had a layover in Hong Kong.

According to BI Intelligence Division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr., they initiated a dialogue with those who were captured to identify who could provide, shoulder, or purchase their tickets. He added that the agency has no funds for such.

Gatchalian disagreed, stating that BI has a budget for deportation. He even mentioned that their budget was increased along with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) to continue their crackdown against POGOs.

He also opposed the practice of letting deportees pay for their tickets and allowing them to book a ticket with a layover instead of a direct flight. For him, those who were involved in POGO would "obviously" find a way to escape.

"Actually, katangahan yan on our part. Dahil, POGO bosses yan, may mga pera yan, may mga connection yan...At, na-prove na natin yan dun sa pagtakas ni Alice Guo na kaya niyang lumipat sa iba't ibang lugar at may connection sila (Actually, that's foolishness on our part. Because they're the POGO bosses, they have money and connections... And we've already proven that with Alice Guo's escape, showing that they can move around and have their own network)," he said.

"So, I think common sense na itong mga POGO bosses na may pera, mayroong connection; mayroon silang kakayahan na tumakas. Kaya dapat (in the) first place hindi natin pinayagan na sila yung bumili ng ticket. At dapat sinigurado natin na informed yung Chinese counterpart, siguraduhin na pagdating doon, makukulong (I believe it's common sense that these POGO bosses, who have money and connections, have the ability to escape. That's why, in the first place, we shouldn't have allowed them to buy tickets. We should have ensured that the Chinese authorities were informed, making sure that upon their arrival, they would be imprisoned)," he added.

Gatchalian said that it's his first time hearing that "I'm one you want to deport, that I'm the one buying my ticket, and that it's up to me where I go."

"Katangahan yung bibili ng ticket yung deportees (It's a stupid move to allow the deportees to buy their own tickets)," he added.

The senator also mentioned that he can't shake the feeling that there may have been a "conspiracy" involved in this incident.

"We should further investigate this matter. Dahil, again, tatawanan tayo ng buong mundo kung pinapayagan natin itong mga deportees na bibili ng kanilang ticket. Parang nagbakasyon lang sila eh, ang nangyari (Because, once again, the whole world will laugh at us if we allow these deportees to buy their own tickets. It’s like they’re just going on vacation, that's what happened)," he said.

He also stated that the Department of Justice (DOJ) should investigate this together with the BI Commissioner as it is "embarrassing" that the three bosses managed to escape.