The Philippine government has ordered Covid-19 testing for hundreds of Chinese citizens living and working at a casino resort in the Clark Freeport Zone following the discovery of an illegal makeshift hospital.
According to the Asian Journal, a total of 490 Chinese nationals underwent testing at Fontana Leisure Park on May 21, two days after the underground hospital was found. The facility only did check-ups on patients but did not require them to be quarantined, said Brigadier General Rhoderick Armamento, deputy chief of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
“All the staff and tenants there were barred from leaving. The community within that area was also locked down,” he said. “Our ultimate objective is to do contact tracing.”
Those tested work for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) inside the resort, authorities said. The swab tests were conducted by Philippine Coast Guard personnel in full personal protective equipment, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Test results will not be available for up to three weeks.
The hospital was found during a May 20 raid, which followed a tip from a “concerned citizen.” The enforcement team found a makeshift medical facility with seven beds and “a kitchen-type laboratory where Covid-19 testing could have been conducted,” reported the Journal.
The team also arrested Chinese nationals Hu Ling, the alleged owner of the facility, and Lee Seung Hyun, an alleged pharmacist.
Fontana Leisure Parks & Casino is owned by Jack Lam, the controversial gaming tycoon who fled the Philippines in 2016 after an illegal gaming operation was found at the resort. According to Inside Asian Gaming, around 1,300 illegal Chinese workers were arrested inside the leisure park, and Lam—former chairman of Macau junket operator Jimei International Entertainment—was accused of trying to pay off immigration officials in exchange for the workers’ release. The allegation was later withdrawn due to “mistaken assumption or interpretation of facts and circumstances,” with the immigration officials involved accused of attempted extortion.
The Clark Development Corp. (CDC) issued a statement saying, “Aside from the operators who are now facing criminal charges, the CDC will also hold to account the management of Fontana for allowing this to happen within their property.
“We assure Clark stakeholders, the locators, local communities and residents especially that we will not stop until all those involved are prosecuted and punished.”
In related news, none of the 60 POGO operators in the country have been given the OK to resume operate, and all of them must pay their taxes first. In addition, the Department of Labor and Employment has tightened the requirements for foreign nationals applying to work in POGOs.
