Manila: Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday urged the government to expedite the deportation process of thousands of foreigners employed by Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs). Gatchalian emphasized the need for government agencies to collaborate and swiftly deport foreign POGO workers to allow law enforcement to concentrate on apprehending those still defying the President’s ban.

According to Philippines News Agency, records from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) indicate that approximately 3,024 foreign workers have been deported so far, significantly fewer than the 30,144 documented foreign POGO workers. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has urged the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to devise a policy that accelerates the deportation process.

The current NBI policy requires potential deportees to secure clearance by presenting their passport, which poses a challenge for foreign nationals since their POGO employers have confiscated their documents. Gatchalian suggested that the BI and NBI should develop alternative methods to verify the identities of potential deportees, such as utilizing the BI’s fingerprint records.