Philippine crackdown on POGOs halted while 947 POGO workers wait for deportation
The Philippines organized crime enforcement unit, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, is waiting to deport 947 Philippine offshore gaming operator workers out of the country.
Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission spokesman Winston Casio discussed the issue on local radio station dzBB, explaining that these workers are being held in a detention facility in Pasay.
On Saturday, the Philippines government returned 29 Indonesian-Philippine workers to their home country.
There is overcrowding in the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission facility, so operations for further Philippine offshore gaming workers are on hold. Casio estimated this was around 9,000 illegal employees.
All workers under detention are being held to standards up to international law, including weekly medical and dental checkups, free medicines and transportation to government hospitals. There is a budget of ₱2 million for food and medicine for these detainees.
Casio reassured that the government is processing the papers to deport the 947 Philippine offshore gaming workers under detention, and more deportations are expected in the coming days.
There is also an additional building in Pasay under forfeiture proceedings, which the government is considering claiming to house illegal Philippine offshore gaming employees.
“Hopefully, once we get additional personnel, we can use the building in Pasay as a custodial facility,” Casio said.
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