In line with the consensus to strengthen law enforcement cooperation against Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), law enforcement authorities of both China and the Philippines effected the repatriation of nearly 100 Chinese citizens. These individuals are said to be engaged in offshore gambling in the Philippines.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila said the.deportation of the said Chinese POGO workers is a show of “successful joint operation” between Beijing and Manila against the illegal hubs of POGO.
Two C-130 cargo aircraft of the Philippine Air Force were used to transport to Manila the POGO workers who were recently arrested in operations.
Earlier on, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said it will deport over 80 Chinese workers who were arrested in its anti-illegal POGO operations in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga.
According to PAOCC spokesperson Dr. Winston Casio, the deportees will travel to Shanghai, where about half will remain, while the rest will be chartered to Xi’an. He said that the ones who will stay in Shanghai are the ones from Bamban while the remaining ones slated for transfer to Xi’an are those who came from Porac.
PAOCC’s continuous anti-illegal POGO operations are highly appreciated by the China government which had been seeking this all along. POGOs are totally banned in China.
Congratulations are thus in order to both governments as this is another successful joint operation following the announcement of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to ban on all POGOs and wind down the operations of remaining legitimate POGOs by yearend.
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Netizens must not be quick to judge the law enforcement personnel who had their pictures taken with former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.
These government personnel might have been just overwhelmed by the success of their operations for which they poured so much effort and hard work for months now.
As NBI chief Jimmy Santiago had said, the reactions on the faces of his personnel were more of a relief that their work is finished and highly successful.
We should not expect our authorities to be rude to suspects who, after all, must be treated with respect.
As the saying goes, an accused is considered innocent until proven guilty. Let us give our authorities a break.
