Gatchalian to BI, NBI: Expedite deportation of foreign POGO workers

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian called on the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to fast-track the deportation of former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers.

“Government agencies must work together to deport foreign POGO workers quickly so that law enforcement can focus on tracking down those who still defy the President’s ban,” said. Gatchalian.

His statement followed the call made by Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) for the NBI to amend its clearance policy for deportees. 

Currently, the NBI requires deportees to present their passports, but many had theirs confiscated by former POGO employers, causing delays.

Gatchalian urged the BI and NBI to use alternative identification methods, such as fingerprint records, to verify deportees.

According to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., only 3,024 out of 30,144 documented foreign POGO workers have been deported so far.IMT