THE Philippine government is intensifying efforts to deport foreigners linked to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), with over 1,000 individuals set for deportation in the next two to three weeks.

During a public briefing on Tuesday, Director Winston Casio of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (Paocc) revealed that it is holding 899 foreign detainees, while the Bureau of Immigration (BI) has approximately 200 to 300 more in its custody.

Casio said that since January, authorities have neutralized over 1,000 foreigners engaged in illegal activities tied to POGO operations.

But based on BI records, an estimated 11,000 POGO workers still remain in the country.

However, with recent arrests and upcoming deportation, the number has been reduced to around 9,000.

"We are confident that by the end of the year, we will have a success story where POGOs will be completely eradicated from the Philippines, in line with the directive of our leadership," Casio said.

To fast-track deportations, the Paocc, the Department of Justice's Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and the BI have agreed to streamline processes. This includes expediting the issuance of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearances and travel documents, allowing for a more efficient removal of foreign nationals from the country.

"In two to three weeks, we will conduct large-scale deportations, targeting 1,000 POGO workers. We call this operation 'POGO 1,000,'" Casio said.

He noted that the first batch of deportees would be primarily foreigners from Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and China.

Despite significant progress, authorities acknowledge that many illegal POGO workers remain scattered across the country.

Casio assured the public that law enforcement agencies are closely monitoring their whereabouts and are building strong legal cases to ensure their capture and deportation.

"The government cannot just enter a building and make arrests without proper legal basis. We are ensuring that all our actions are in accordance with the law to avoid any legal repercussions," he said.

The crackdown on illegal POGO operations comes amid growing concerns over their involvement in criminal activities, including human trafficking, fraud and cybercrime.