The Bureau of Immigration (BI) of the Philippines recently disclosed that Xu Shiyi, a Chinese national arrested last year, is suspected of being associated with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), drawing significant attention from law enforcement agencies.
This arrest occurred as Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos intensifies efforts to crack down on illegal offshore gaming and crimes involving foreign nationals.
Joel Anthony Viaje, the Director of the Bureau of Immigration, stated that intelligence indicates Xu Shiyi is one of the founders of Phil-Sanjia Steel Company.
Another founder, Antonio Lim, is suspected to be an alias of Yang Zhiyuan, who was previously investigated by the Congress for involvement in POGO operations.
Xu Shiyi was found in possession of a large number of official Philippine documents, including birth certificates, Philsys records, Social Security System (SSS) forms, Manila resident ID cards (UMID), Tax Identification Numbers (TIN), and Commission on Elections (COMELEC) registration forms, all displaying his personal information.
Notably, the Bureau of Immigration arrested an individual named Tony Yang in 2024, suspected of impersonating a Filipino citizen.
Meanwhile, Phil-Sanjia Company was also accused in a 2024 congressional hearing of being involved in illegal POGO operations and is currently under further investigation.
Viaje emphasized, "We are firmly against any foreigners abusing the Philippine identity system and forging documents to cover up illegal activities."
He reiterated that the Bureau of Immigration will fully cooperate with the President's actions, continuing to investigate criminals related to illegal offshore gaming, maintaining national security and the rule of law.
