MANILA -- Senator Risa Hontiveros questioned the deportation process of the Bureau of Immigration with regards to arrested workers of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), particularly alleged bosses.

According to Hontiveros during the hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Justice and Human Rights on Tuesday, three deported POGO bosses did not return to China and escaped when they had a layover in Hong Kong.

She identified the individuals as Lyu Xun, Kong Xiangrui and Wang Shangle who were among the 4,500 Chinese POGO workers arrested in the raid of Rirance company.

“Nabalitaan din po natin ang kamakailan lang ang diumanong pagpapalusot ng mga POGO bosses papunta sa ibang bansa, imbes na ibalik sa bansang Tsina. Ang modus daw ay hindi direct flight ang binibili tapos sa layover, naglalaho na parang bula ang mga bosses sa kanilang transit destination,” Hontiveros said.

BI admitted the flight of the three had a layover. They said they asked the arrested POGO workers to shoulder the tickets because the BI does not have a budget for this.

“Ang ginawa po ng BI, nag-initiate po sila ng dialogue with the PDLs kung sino po yung pwedeng magbigay or mag-shoulder or mag-purchase ng kanilang mga tickets. So January 8 po nangyari ito, matter of two weeks. Ito na po yung pinakafastest deportation na nangyayari sa history ng BI, two weeks. At ang unang nagpa-deport is yung tatlo po yan na yun na kiniclaim to be boss or bosses,” BI Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato Manahan, Jr. said.  

Asked if the three arrived in China, Manahan said the BI did not have information.

“Paano kung sabihin ko sa inyo na hindi sila nakarating sa China at nawala na lang sa layover?” Hontiveros said. “Dapat end-to-end para makumpleto yung deportation process.”

Attorney Arvin Santos, Chief of BI’s Legal Division, said the alleged bosses were not declared as fugitives so they underwent regular deportation and were not escorted up to the destination country.

“Ang protocol namin is once they are declared fugitive, we make sure that they are either escorted or alam ng kanilang embassy,” Santos said. “Pag hindi sila declared as fugitive, our duty is to ensure that they are boarded to their country…When we say escorted, only up to the boarding at the airline.”

“Doesn't regular deportation mean direct flight without a layover?” Hontiveros stated.

“We accept what ticket is available,” Santos replied.

Hontiveros said she received information that the Chinese embassy had already complained about having layovers in flights of deported POGO workers, but the BI said they have not received any.

What they received, according to Manahan, was an appeal to hold the deportation process so the Chinese embassy could charter a flight for some 100 POGO workers, but he said the deportation cannot be put on hold.

“What a shame, no? I mean, dahil sa atin, against whom they committed the most crimes, sa mga kababayan natin, nakapuslit sila. So a deportation gone wrong,” Hontiveros remarked.

She urged the BI to review its protocols.

“The reason that it's so disturbing is, tiyak pa sa sikat na araw na maghasik na lang ulit ng lagim ang mga yan. Eh baka nga nakabalik na  sila o ang mga tulad nila dito sa Pilipinas,” Hontiveros said.

She warned BI that her subcommittee will recommend a revamp of the agency if it does not submit satisfactory answers on the deportation.