FIVE Chinese fugitives linked to the Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGOs) were intercepted by joint government operatives while trying to flee the country to through the southern backdoor for Sabah, Malaysia.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the five Chinese reportedly paid P25,000 to a certain “Batman” who facilitated their attempt to leave through Tawi-Tawi.
The Chinese, identified as Ying Guanzhen, Yang Jinlong, Liu Xin, Shen Kan, and Luo Honglin, were intercepted after their boat suffered engine trouble near Languyan Island in Tawi-Tawi.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the Chinese nationals were apprehended by the Philippine National Police and local officials while traveling on a boat to Sabah, Malaysia, which also had three Filipino passengers on board.
The blacklisted Chinese nationals are linked to Lucky South 99 Corp., a POGO hub in Pampanga raided by authorities, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
Two of the suspects are fugitives wanted in China, Sandoval added.
Government intelligence sources informed the BI that a “transporter” identified only as “Batman was aiding the group in their escape.
A transporter is a person facilitating illegal travel from the Philippines to neighboring states, the BI said.