Now that China has identified Chinese Mainland citizens working in the Philippines without proper working permits, the situation is starting to escalate to a new level. On February 27, the Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) confirmed it was urging operators to turn over illegal workers with criminal liabilities.

“The crackdown is a result of PAGCOR’s constant coordination with the Chinese embassy and law enforcement agencies to ensure that proper regulations are observed,” PAGCOR said in a statement.

Emphasizing that they are working within the bounds of Philippines law, the regulator noted its task force partners in cracking down on these undocumented workers. “The state-run gaming agency is continuously working with concerned agencies like the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the creation of an operations center where all problems related to illegal gambling and cybercrimes will be coursed through,” the regulator noted. “With this shared effort, PAGCOR can be ensured that all operations being made by the law enforcement agencies are in accordance with the law.

Later in the day, PAGCOR confirmed the move against these Chinese workers was in full swing, with 2,000 of the reported 70,000 illegal workers having been deported since January 15, 2019. It’s unclear if any of that number comes from the past few days.