BI hit for allowing layover flights of 3 ‘POGO bosses’

MANILA, Philippines — A stupid move, indeed.

This was how Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian described yesterday the Bureau of Immigration (BI)’s decision allowing deported Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) “bosses” to book their own flight tickets, resulting in their possible escape.

Instead of a direct flight to China, the deported POGO workers chose one that had a layover in Hong Kong.

“Of course, these POGO ‘bosses’ have the money and connection. It should be common sense that they have the means to escape,” Gatchalian said at a press briefing.

He said the deported workers should have been booked on direct flights to China and handcuffed during the flight.

The BI admitted during a Senate justice subcommittee hearing yesterday that it conducted a “dialogue” with the detainees as to who among them were willing to buy their own tickets for deportation, instead of waiting for the Chinese embassy in Manila to shoulder the air fare.

“This was the fastest deportation in BI’s history. The first to volunteer were the three who are said to be ‘bosses,’ ” BI intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. told the Senate hearing.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who presided over the hearing, said she had information that Lyu Xun, Kong Xiangrui and Wang Shangle were the first to be deported from among the POGO workers apprehended in Parañaque on Jan. 8.

“The three Chinese likely escaped in Hong Kong because they never made it to China,” Hontiveros said, calling the BI “inutile.”

Chinese held for money laundering

Meanwhile, the BI arrested yesterday another Chinese national suspected of laundering money for POGO and scam hubs in Pasay.

Members of the BI Fugitive Search Unit nabbed Wang Zhouyu, 35, who is considered an undesirable alien.

Based on information from Chinese authorities, Wang reportedly has a warrant of arrest for fraud issued by the Qinhuangdao Public Security Bureau on Feb. 18.