Marcos reminds Air Force: Keep assets ‘ready’ for deployment | ABS-CBN

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Marcos reminds Air Force: Keep assets ‘ready’ for deployment

Marcos reminds Air Force: Keep assets ‘ready’ for deployment

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Mar 31, 2023 05:29 PM PHT

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CLARK, Pampanga — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday reminded the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to keep all assets “ready to go,” underscoring its mandate to be the country’s “first line of defense against external security threats.”

Marcos gave the statement after he inspected the PAF's three recommissioned C-130 units.

“Should any unfortunate events happen, we must be able to assess and to be able to respond quickly,” thepPresident said in his speech.

“I therefore direct the Philippine Air Force and the AFP to continue developing your capabilities for conducting maintenance and repair to keep all our military assets ready to go,” he said.

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“Remain steadfast as you continue to perform your duties especially in the crucial role as the country’s first line of defense against external security threats,” he added.

Marcos underscored the need to “conduct routinary checkup and regular engineering services for added safety requirements and provide extensive training to those who will be flying and using” the PAF’s assets.

“We cannot afford to waste any time in the mission to save lives, therefore the existence of this air assets is crucial to ensure that information, aid, and responder are made available to effectively help affected areas,” he said.

“I would like to convey and remind everyone of the sheer importance and of air worthiness and structural integrity of our air assets to ensure their effectiveness and guarantee the safety of their users,” he added.

“Maintenance and repair are key aspects of our operations as well as important decision points in the acquisition of additional assets.”

The Philippines procured C-130 aircraft with tail numbers 5011 and 5040 in 2016 and sent them for “extensive repair and maintenance” last year, according to information from the PAF.

The two units, worth $55.60 million, were acquired from the United States under the Excess Defense Articles program, it read.

While Marcos did not directly mention the South Chine Sea issue in his speech, he said he is “certain” the Philippines’ “partners will be more than willing to aid us in developing your capabilities in making the necessary investments to ensure that we achieve our shared goals for the country and for this region.”

“I recognize the Philippine Air Force as well as express my appreciation to our partners in the US government and Portugal for making all these possible,” he said.

“It is a testament not only to our enduring friendship but also of your support to the Philippines’ agenda of enhancing our country’s air transport defense and disaster response capabilities,” he added.

In February, Marcos ordered Air Force personnel in Cebu to protect the Philippines’ interests in the South China Sea as the country is confronted by a “more complex foreign situation.”

The PAF, meanwhile, awarded an honorary Gold Wing badge to Marcos.

The PAF Gold Wing is a 10-karat golden badge symbolizing the highest state of military flying professionalism and dedication.

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PAOCC: P210M spent since 2023 for detained POGO workers, billions in assets seized

PAOCC: P210M spent since 2023 for detained POGO workers, billions in assets seized

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

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Foreign nationals arrested at a POGO hub in Lapu-Lapu City in September 2024 are brought to Mactan Airbase for transfer to Metro Manila. Annie PerezForeign nationals arrested at a POGO hub in Lapu-Lapu City in September 2024 are brought to Mactan Airbase for transfer to Metro Manila. Annie Perez

MANILA — The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Wednesday said it has spent about P210 million in the past two years for the detention of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) workers arrested since the crackdown began in 2023.

The PAOCC spends about “P35 million every 4 months” for the food, water, electricity, security officials and administrative costs for POGO workers who are awaiting deportation, said spokesperson Winston Casio.

“Roughly two years na po so we may have spent already...P210 million to end this problem,” he told Palace reporters.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) explained that the PAOCC had to shoulder some of its costs as their detention facility in Taguig could only house up to 100 foreign nationals for deportation.

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“Ang PAOCC napakalaki ng tulong (has been a great help) in terms of housing them prior to deportation,” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said.

As of December 2024, the PAOCC has deported 2,121 foreign nationals working in illegal POGO hubs. Nearly 340 others are awaiting deportation, according to data from the agency.

“This does not include those who voluntarily left the country,” Casio said.

But, Casio said, PAOCC's expenses have to be seen in the context of property seized in its operations.

“We could have already gained anywhere between P20 billion to P30 billion worth of real estate properties, tangible items, cars, name it,” he said.

He said that Anti-Money Laundering Council has already ordered market valuation of seized items and properties.

Among the seized properties from POGOs that are awaiting deposition are several high-value properties in Pasay City, a hotel in Cebu, mega compounds in Tarlac and Pampanga, as well as 134 seized vehicles, Casio said.

Most of the POGO-linked foreign nationals who were either deported or awaiting deportation are from Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Myanmar, data from the BI showed.

Immigration officials are also working with various embassies so that they could shoulder the repatriation flights of their respective nationals who were involved in illegal gambling operations here, the agency’s spokesperson said.

Last year, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. banned all POGOs in the Philippines after congressional investigations and multiple raids showed that the industry was linked to several criminal activities including torture, prostitution and human trafficking.

Since the ban took effect on January 1, 2025, only 11,000 of the 33,000 registered POGO workers have remained in the Philippines, according to data from the BI.

Of the 11,254 POGO workers who stayed in the Philippines, 121 have been deported, 518 have been arrested, while 45 other voluntarily surrendered.

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