BI prioritizes swift deportation of arrested POGO workers

In response to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s declaration that Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) would be completely prohibited, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) vowed on Monday to deport foreign nationals engaged in illicit activities as soon as possible.

BI Commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado clarified that the agency's primary goal remains the timely removal of those persons while also addressing concerns about the use of tickets with connecting flights for deportation.

"The government spends for their detention for a longer period of time the longer they remain in the country waiting for schedules. Our top goal is to get them out of the country as quickly as possible, so we take whatever is available," Atty. Viado stated.

He also stressed that three necessary documents are needed for deportation procedures: an outbound ticket, a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance to verify there are no outstanding charges, and a valid passport or travel document.

In an effort to expedite the procedure even more, the BI's Deportation and Implementation Unit cooperated with the NBI to issue clearances in a single day.

"Everyone wants them to get out of our country as soon as possible," the BI chief added.

In order to demonstrate its dedication to the quickest possible deportation, the BI highlighted a recent case in January in which a group of deportees was successfully returned to their home country in just two weeks.

Atty. Viado has committed to continue improving the deportation procedure to ensure faster removals. "If we can do it fast, we will find ways to do it even faster," he stated.