Two Chinese citizens were intercepted and arrested by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila while attempting to leave the Philippines with forged "Emigration Clearance Certificates" (ECC). The incident occurred on June 22, as they were preparing to board a flight to Hong Kong, and the documents they carried were found to be counterfeit.
According to an announcement made by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration on the same day, the suspects are 32-year-old Yu Ziming and 30-year-old Wu Liping, both former employees of a dissolved Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO). Under current regulations, all foreigners must legally apply for an ECC before permanently leaving the Philippines to prove that they have no overdue stays, tax disputes, or labor disputes.
Preliminary investigations revealed that both individuals had worked for a POGO company that was shut down by the government due to illegal activities. Starting from 2024, the Philippine government has been vigorously rectifying the offshore gaming industry, revoking operating licenses in batches, and initiating the repatriation of foreign employees, focusing on preventing escapes and potential transnational crime risks.
The two suspects are currently detained at the Taguig City Immigration Detention Center, awaiting the initiation of deportation procedures. Joel Antonio Viado, the Director of the Immigration Bureau, emphasized in a statement that forging official documents is a serious provocation to the national immigration system, and the Bureau will continue to trace the source of the fake documents and hold the relevant individuals accountable according to law.
The authorities indicated that the case is under thorough investigation, and the possibility of tracking down the counterfeit network behind it is not ruled out.
