Over 2,300 Chinese nationals repatriated due to POGOs since 2022

BACOLOR, Pampanga — More than 2,300 Chinese nationals have been repatriated from the Philippines over issues related to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) since 2022, according to the Bureau of Immigration.

From 2022 to 2024, at least 2,379 Chinese nationals have been deported, around half or 1,207 of whom were asked to leave the country in connection to their employment at POGO hubs.

"But there were also Chinese nationals who were sent home because they were categorized as victims," Homer Arellano, head of the Bureau of Immigrations’ prosecution and legal assistance section, said in a mix of English and Filipino.

This data from the Bureau of Immigration was provided to lawmakers during the first meeting of the House of Representatives' "quad" committee, which held its first hearing on Friday in Bacolor, Pampanga.

The megapanel fuses together four House committees — dangerous drugs, public order and safety, human rights and public accounts — to investigate the connection between POGOs and the illegal drug trade. Part of the inquiry will also touch on the alleged collusion between public officials and Chinese nationals to acquire properties to be used for illegal POGOs.

On Friday, Rep. Bonifacio Bosita (1-Rider Partylist) also requested that the Bureau of Immigration provide the exact number of Chinese nationals involved in illegal POGOs currently in its custody.

Arellano said there are "several fugitives" under its custody, the exact number of which he vowed to provide to the committee later on.

Rep. Robert Barbers (Surigao del Norte, 2nd District), chair of the House dangerous drugs committee, said in his opening speech that the mega-panel's investigation seeks to build on the committees' earlier findings on the "well-organized syndicate" that has "[flooded] the country with dangerous drugs in probable connivance with corrupt officials."

"POGOs, introduced under the guise of generating much-needed revenue, have instead revealed themselves as a curse, becoming gateways for syndicate members to enter the country as legitimate visitors, investors, or even citizens," Barbers said.

The proliferation of POGOs have been made possible by the "countless agencies that issue visas and permits for a price, allowing these criminals to operate freely and with the protection of certain members of our own law enforcement agencies," the lawmaker added.