(INQUIRER.net stock photo)
MANILA, Philippines — All Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) must be clustered in one area so that the police can easily maintain peace and order, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa suggested on Friday.
Dela Rosa said that he has no problem if the government stops Pogo operations, otherwise, strict regulation must be implemented to deter crimes related to Pogo operations.
“Ilagay sila sa isang lugar na parang bang isang kagaya ng export processing zone, sa isa lang nakalagay for easy maintenance of peace and order,” Dela Rosa said in an interview on ANC Headstart.
(Place them in one place similar to an export processing zone for easy maintenance of peace and order.)
“Ma-contain sila ng police sa isang lugar. Alam ng police kung saan sila magco-concentrate ng patrolya nila kapag nandiyan ‘yung lahat ng Pogo operation,” the former national police chief added.
(They should be contained in one place so that the police will know where to concentrate their patrols.)
Dela Rosa said that he is confident that crimes will be avoided if his suggestion would materialize. “Sigurado ako maiwasan na ‘yung mga kidnapping, ‘yung trafficking, nandiyan na ‘yung pulis. Imposible namang magagawa pa nila ‘yan kapag hindi limited ang access ng pulis sa mga establishment nila. Kung wala silang tinatago bakit nila aayawan ‘yung pulis na pumasok sa kanilang area?” he said.
(I am sure that kidnappings, traffickings will be prevented because the police are there. It is impossible for them to do that if the police have unlimited access to their establishments. If they are not hiding anything, why would they refuse to let police enter in their area?)
For more than three months now, there have been no Pogo-related criminal activities in the country, according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
Last year, at least 38 Pogo-related criminal cases were listed by the Philippine National Police.
A survey, meanwhile, showed that for most Filipinos, Pogo operations are harmful to the country.