Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos. FILE PHOTO / Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has assured the public that all police officers detailed to secure Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo) workers have been recalled.
During the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday, Abalos said that Pogo workers should not worry about alleged security threats because Metro Manila, where most Pogos are operating, is very safe.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief made the order to remove all the Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel assigned to secure Pogo workers last Friday after a Senate hearing revealed that cops are acting as bodyguards due to threats to the some of the foreign nationals’ lives.
“Tanggal na lahat. It should not be the case because number one, wala naman talaga silang threat. Napaka tahimik ng Manila, anong threat pinagsasabi nila? And they are showing issues about kidnapping, et cetera,” Abalos said.
(They all have been removed. Having security should not be the case because, number one, there is no real threat. Manila is a very safe place; what are they talking about? And they are showing issues about kidnapping, et cetera.)
“So, pinatanggal ko na. Mas kailangan natin dito sa ibang lugar [So I had them removed. They are needed in other areas],” he added.
Abalos also clarified that the problems regarding Pogos stem from those operating illegally — not those registered with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor).
According to the DILG chief, criminal activities involving the Pogos disappeared when the PNP launched operations against illegal operations.
“Kasi ang talagang nakikita ko rito would be the illegal ones eh. If you would recall, going back before there was an outcry about peace and order, et cetera. Tapos we kept on raiding. Ako, personally sumama ako rito sa isa sa Pampanga tapos itong nakita namin itong dalawa rito sa, isang nabiktima na Chinese-Malaysian at may isa pa,” he said.
(What I really see here would be the illegal ones. If you recall, going back before, there was an outcry about peace and order, et cetera. Then we kept on raiding. Personally, I accompanied raids, including one here in Pampanga, and there are other cases where a Chinese-Malaysian was victimized.)
“So, tumahimik eh, nawala. These are illegal Pogos, dapat i-weed out na muna ‘tong mga illegal na ito. Dito mo naman makikita yung mga legal Pogos, iilan lang naman yung mga legal I think they’re less than 30 or about 27,” he added.
(After these, the crimes were gone, it was peaceful again. So these are illegal Pogos, we need to weed out these illegal operators. You can see here the difference between the legal Pogos, I think only a few are legal. I think they’re less than 30 or about 27.)
Pogos are recently a hot topic as several lawmakers from the Senate, and the House of Representatives, have called for the stoppage of these games due to the incidence of related crimes. In addition, in early September, Abalos said that authorities managed to arrest a Pogo firm’s human resource officer in an operation in Angeles City, Pampanga — leading to fresh calls to revoke Pogo licenses.
READ: Kidnapped Chinese, 42 other POGO workers rescued in Pampanga — Abalos
However, supporters of the operations have warned that bigger problems await if Pogos are kicked out from the country, as a lot of jobs are at stake — aside from the fact that operators may just opt to go underground if licenses are revoked.
READ: Salceda: Total Pogo ban harms economy, gov’t should target illegal ‘actors’
On Tuesday, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said that China had blacklisted the country as the Philippines continuously allows Pogo operations. However, later that day, he clarified that China might place the Philippines on a blacklist for tourists if the games persist.
Such games are deemed illegal in China. With reports from Irish Lorraine Perez, INQUIRER.net trainee
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