MANILA — The joint efforts of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Bureau of Immigration (BI), the Department of Justice (DOJ) Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Women and Children Protection Center culminated on Thursday (14 Dec 2023) in the deportation of 180 Chinese Nationals to China via Philippine Airlines.

A delegation of around 10 Filipino officials accompanied the deportation, escorting the apprehended individuals to Shanghai, China.

The targeted deportation is a crucial step in the extensive crackdown by local authorities against illegal activities conducted by foreign nationals in the country.

These individuals were involved in a range of criminal activities, including online scams, human trafficking, torture, kidnapping for ransom, and prostitution.

The roots of this significant operation trace back to October 27, 2023, when a joint force led by agents from the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) conducted a raid at the Smart Web Technology POGO Hub in Pasay City.

The ensuing inspection revealed an alarming setup featuring aquarium-style viewing (sex) chambers catering to women of various nationalities, including Filipinas, serving predominantly Chinese nationals seeking such services.

The undesirable aliens, including Chinese Nationals, some of whom are fugitives from Mainland China, were apprehended, handcuffed, and subsequently transported onto buses for deportation.

(Report and photography by Benjamin Cuaresma/AI/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

KNOWN FOR HER “I INVOKE MY RIGHT TO BE SILENT” line during the Senate investigations on the pork barrel scam, the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan on Friday sentenced businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles to at least 64 years in prison after finding her guilty of four counts each of graft and malversation of public funds.

Voting 3-2, the Special Second Division in its 57-page decision sentenced Napoles to at least 40 years in prison for her four malversation of public funds conviction and some 24 years for her conviction on four counts of graft.

At the same time, Napoles and each of the state-run National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR) officials Rhodora Mendoza, Victor Cacal, and Maria Ninez Guañizo were sentenced to spend 10 to 16 years in prison and ordered to pay the government P2.9 million or the amount malversed for their conviction.

It was gathered that the case was in connection with the illegal disbursement of at least P20 million from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), commonly called “pork barrel,” of former South Cotabato Representative Arthur Pingoy.

The Sandiganbayan, however, noted that there is no evidence that Pingoy was involved in the scheme.

(ai/mnm)