216 foreign nationals linked to POGOs still in custody — PAOCC
Winston Casio has returned to his duties as spokesperson of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). He appeared before Palace media on Wednesday, 19 February to share updates on the PAOCC operations against organized crime.
Screengrab from RTVM
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said around 216 foreign nationals are still in government custody as their deportation and criminal cases linked to the now-banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) are being processed.
According to PAOCC Spokesperson Dr. Winston Casio in a televised interview on Monday, this number includes both foreign witnesses and those undergoing deportation proceedings.
“They are also accused of criminal cases with regards to violations of our criminal laws,” Casio said.
He further noted that while POGO workers were expected to have voluntarily left by December 2024, some immigration proceedings have been delayed due to the process of canceling previously issued permits.
“It's taking a long time because there are documents that need to be presented, such as cancellation of their alien employment permits, cancellation of their so-called working visas in relation to POGO.”
The Philippine government, according to Casio, spends around ₱1.4 million monthly to maintain foreign nationals under custody covering expenses such as housing, meals, and other basic needs at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) facility in Taguig City.
Meanwhile, BI expressed its support for the signing of the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, which permanently bars offshore gaming operations in the country.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said the law is a “decisive step in protecting national security and public order” that would safeguard the borders of the country from criminal syndicates using offshore gaming as a means to commit human trafficking, cybercrime, and other illegal activities.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed on 23 October the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, which institutionalized the ban on POGOs and repealed Republic Act No. 11590, which previously imposed taxes on offshore gaming licensees and their service operators.