The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Thursday said that the deportation of thousands of undocumented foreign nationals, mostly former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers, is being delayed due to legal maneuvers and procedural hurdles.
Speaking at a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing, PAOCC Executive Director and Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said one of the biggest challenges is that many foreign nationals deliberately file minor criminal charges against themselves to block immediate deportation. “Once we apprehend them, some are immediately filed with cases, so they cannot be deported automatically,” Cruz said.
Others, Cruz added, intentionally file complaints such as threats, estafa, or acts of lasciviousness to stall deportation proceedings. These cases, he said, must be verified with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and local courts to determine their legitimacy. Furthermore, deportation orders still need to be secured from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), adding further delay.
The BI estimates there are between 9,000 and 10,000 undocumented foreign nationals still in the country, most of them former POGO workers. Cruz warned that some of them could pose a public health risk. “In our recent operations, 66 of those apprehended tested positive for infectious diseases such as HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis,” he said.
Cruz also noted that some foreign nationals, particularly from China, resist deportation out of fear of prosecution at home, as they are treated as criminals rather than trafficking victims. He called on lawmakers and immigration authorities to expedite the deportation process, stressing that many of these individuals lack passports, which were often confiscated by their employers. “These undocumented individuals are now moving freely around the country. We must act swiftly to deport them before the situation worsens,” Cruz said.
