Gatchalian urges BI to enforce stringent deportation protocols for POGO workers

Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to enforce more stringent deportation protocols for former workers in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) industry, which was outlawed at the beginning of this year.

For instance, Gatchalian said that POGO workers should not be allowed to take a lay-over flight as this enables some of them to evade accountability in their respective country of origin and could possibly go back to their criminal activities.

"It doesn't make sense na nahuhuli natin itong mga kawatan na ito, ide-deport natin, tapos hahayaan lang natin silang makawala sa transit flight hanggang bumalik na sila uli dito sa Pilipinas at bumalik sa dating gawi," Gatchalian said at a recent Senate hearing.

"My suggestion is for the Bureau of Immigration to change its policy and just bring the deportees back to their country of origin para doon sila litisin," he added, to which Immigration Chief Joel Viado replied with a commitment to prevent their re-entry into the Philippines especially if they are already on the blacklist.

The senator further noted that many POGO deportees have the connection and the means to evade authorities if they want to.

"I have received information that around March 7, about 21 deportees were supposed to be transported back to China but were instead diverted to Kuala Lumpur and eventually went to Cambodia," he said.

Gatchalian hinimok ang BI na magpatupad ng mahigpit na deportation protocol para sa mga manggagawa ng POGO

Hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang Bureau of Immigration (BI) na magpatupad ng mas mahigpit na deportation protocol para sa mga dating manggagawa ng Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), na ipinagbawal sa simula ng taong ito.

Halimbawa, sinabi ni Gatchalian na ang mga manggagawang ito ng POGO ay hindi dapat payagang mag-layover flight dahil maaaring gamitin nila ang pagkakataon para tumakas at umiwas sa pananagutan at posibleng bumalik sa kanilang mga kriminal na gawain.

"Hindi makatuwiran na nahuhuli natin itong mga kawatan na ito, ide-deport natin, tapos hahayaan lang natin silang makawala sa transit flight hanggang bumalik na sila dito sa Pilipinas at bumalik sa dating gawi," sabi ni Gatchalian sa nagdaang Senate hearing.

"Ang mungkahi ko ay baguhin ng Bureau of Immigration ang patakaran nito at ibalik na lang agad ang deportees sa kanilang bansang pinanggalingan para doon sila litisin," dagdag pa niya, na agad namang sinagot ni Immigration Chief Joel Viado na may pangakong pipigilan ang kanilang muling pagpasok sa Pilipinas lalo na kung nasa blacklist na sila.

Sinabi rin ng senador na maraming POGO deportees ang may koneksyon at paraan para makaiwas sa mga awtoridad kung gugustuhin nila.

"Nakatanggap ako ng impormasyon na noong Marso 7, humigit-kumulang 21 deportees ang dapat ihahatid pabalik sa China ngunit sa halip ay na-divert ang flight sa Kuala Lumpur at kalaunan ay pumunta sa Cambodia," aniya.