43 online gaming workers deported from the Philippines

43 Chinese workers from an illegal offshore gaming operator were deported for violating anti-trafficking laws.

The Philippines.- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has reported that 43 Chinese citizens involved in illegal online gaming operations have been deported after being arrested for violations of anti-trafficking laws.

Arrested by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and the Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Center, they faced charges under Republic Act 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act) and RA 10364 (Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law). Their arrests, which took place at a POGO hub along F.B. Harrison Street in Pasay, were conducted under a search warrant issued by a Makati court last October.

This marks the fifth batch of such deportations. Preceding this groups of 180 Chinese, 21 Vietnamese, five Malaysians, and three Vietnamese citizens were expelled from the country.

According to Philstar, the BI emphasized that the deportees were found to have violated the terms of their visas by engaging in human trafficking. Commissioner Norman Tansingco said they had been banned from returning to the Philippines.

This week, the House of Representatives Committee on Games and Amusements approved two measures, House Bill 5082 and Resolution 1197, which seek to ban offshore gambling operators. Rufus Rodriguez, author of HR 1197 and representative of the 2nd district of Cagayan de Oro City, claims that POGOs, despite contributing revenue to the country, are primarily used to carry out illegal activities such as money laundering, illegal immigration and employment, kidnapping and other crimes.