Four Chinese nationals, suspects in a POGO case, attempted to bribe their way out of the country with a substantial amount, ending up losing both money and freedom, and reigniting the issue of corruption within the Philippine immigration system. Each paid 500,000 pesos, hoping to "whitewash" their identities and leave the Philippines smoothly, but were exposed during the "off-system" exit process.
These individuals—Zhang Zhaoya, Wang Linmei, Qi Xianyang, and Chen Wenda—were already on the Philippines Immigration Bureau's Alert List (ALO) due to illegal residency and visa forgery, and should have triggered an alert and been detained upon appearing at the airport. However, although their passports were stamped for departure, there were no exit records in the system, effectively making them "disappear into thin air."
According to internal reports from the immigration office, these individuals contacted immigration officials through intermediaries, exchanging a "fake process" for "real clearance":
Step One: VIP Entry
They entered the airport through the VIP channel with business class tickets, avoiding regular checks.
Step Two: Internal Collusion Handover
They connected directly with pre-arranged immigration officers, bypassing sensitive list alerts.
Step Three: Stamp without Record
Their passports were stamped to create a legal exit illusion, but fingerprints and photos were not collected, nor were they uploaded to the border system.
Ultimately, their "departure" existed only on their passport pages, not in any official data.
Currently, the involved immigration officers have been suspended and are under investigation, and the immigration bureau is thoroughly reviewing similar "fake exit" cases and strengthening internal system safeguards.
This incident has caused a stir among the Filipino-Chinese community, leading many to reconsider the risks of using intermediaries for "smoothed exits." One netizen said, "Used to trust connections, not anymore." The event also serves as a warning to all Chinese in the Philippines—that illegal methods cannot protect one, but instead pose risks.
As the investigation deepens, the Philippine Immigration Bureau has stated it will continue to clean up "protective umbrellas" within the system and strengthen monitoring of high-risk individuals' entries and exits. The previously prevalent "bribery fast track" is losing its shelter—bribery is not the way out, compliance is the real security.
