November 23, 2025 | 11:46am
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) deported 23 Chinese nationals on November 21, citing their involvement in unlawful Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) activities and cyberfraud.
In a statement on Saturday, November 22, Alexi Val Arciaga, chief of the BI’s deportation and implementation units, said all individuals were subjects of deportation orders for multiple violations of Philippine immigration laws, including their involvement in POGO-like activities, fraud schemes, and being wanted criminals in their home country.
Arciaga also said that the 23 foreign nationals were placed aboard a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which departed from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 early Friday morning.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said that more arrests and deportations are expected for foreign nationals involved in unlawful online gaming facilities and scam hubs.
“As long as illegal online gaming facilities and scam hubs persist, our enforcement operations will continue,” Viado said.
During his 2024 State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the ban on POGOs.
He justified this decision by citing the sector’s connections to various illegal activities, including human trafficking, money laundering, cyber-scam operations, and other organized criminal enterprises.
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On Oct. 29, 2025, Marcos signed Republic Act No. 12312, also known as the Anti-POGO Act of 2025.
The law prohibits all forms of offshore gaming operations. It also revokes the licensing structure for POGOs previously established under Republic Act 11590 and further mandates the cancellation of all existing visas and work permits issued to foreign employees working in the POGO sector.
