Philippines deports another 17 Chinese citizens linked to online gaming

The group is among the 300 foreigners slated for deportation by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

The Philippines.- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has reported that 17 Chinese citizens that worked in online gambling operations have been deported today (November 16). It’s the second batch of deportations after six people were deported on October 19.

The government has previously said it would deport nearly 300 Chinese citizens who were illegally employed by online gambling operators. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) had previously revoked the permits of the offshore gaming operators employing them, which caused the BI to cancel their visas.

The Director of Immigration noted that it regularly submits reports to the Department of Justice on the status of those still to be deported. Justice secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he was closely monitoring the return of the workers to their home countries. Foreigners who are deported are automatically added to the immigration blacklist, effectively preventing them from returning to the Philippines.