The Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) recently formally requested the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to adjust the clearance document policy for foreign online gambling company (POGO) workers to expedite the deportation process.
PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio revealed in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB that the NBI currently requires all deportees to provide a copy of their passport before applying for clearance documents. However, many foreign workers' passports have already been confiscated by their employers, slowing down the deportation process.
"This is a serious issue, as most people do not have their passports in their possession," Casio stated.
Senator Raffy Tulfo recently expressed concern about the slow progress of deporting foreign workers. He cited an example where, during a raid in Barangay Caloocan on January 8th of this year, only about half of the 438 arrested foreign workers have been deported so far.
Arvin Santos, the head of legal affairs at the Bureau of Immigration, explained that the deportation process must comply with established regulations, including providing a passport, NBI clearance documents, and a valid plane ticket.
To expedite the deportation process, PAOCC has formally requested the NBI to waive the passport copy requirement and instead use the immigration bureau's entry records as proof of identity.
"We have written to the NBI, hoping they will respond positively to our request, which would greatly improve the efficiency of deportations," Casio added.
Tulfo warned that there are still thousands of foreign workers who were employed by online gambling companies (POGO) remaining in the Philippines, some of whom may still be active in the illegal gambling industry. Therefore, speeding up the deportation process is urgent to prevent these individuals from continuing illegal activities.
