INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
Updated 9:42 p.m.
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri has called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to look into the possible connection between the recent abduction and murder of a Chinese-Filipino businessman to crimes involving Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos).
Zubiri fiercely condemned on Monday the kidnap-slay of 62-year-old Mario Uy allegedly in the hands of four foreign nationals – three Chinese and one Vietnamese – who the PNP has since arrested.
READ: 3 Chinese, 1 Vietnamese held for allegedly kidnapping, killing Tsinoy
“It is not impossible that these suspects are connected to the gangs involved in the Pogo industry. The horrific torture-slay of Mr. Uy is certainly not far from accounts of violence that have transpired in the Pogo industry, and so I urge the PNP to look into this possibility,” Zubiri said in a statement.
According to the Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order, Uy’s body was found in Tanza, Cavite, on March 22 “with gunshot wounds and torture marks, including a big toe cut off, the same way the Pogo syndicates treat their victims.”
“It has long been our fear that the violence perpetrated by foreign gangs on [Pogos] will eventually graduate to violence against our own citizens, and from victims of human trafficking to Mr. Uy, these fears have very much become our alarming reality,” Zubiri said.
He vowed to join Uy’s bereaved kin in their quest for justice, urging for “stronger protection and prosecution against foreign organized crime syndicates such as this.”
In a separate statement, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva similarly asked the PNP to explore all possible angles in its probe into Uy’s death.
“Incidents like this instill fear to our citizens, who are deeply concerned for their security and peace of mind,” he said.
Villanueva took note of the alarming PNP data which showed that there had been 15 Pogo-related kidnappings and 11 kidnap-for-ransom cases reported as of September 2022.
“Because of this, our police force needs to remain more vigilant and proactive in preventing kidnappings, especially now that even foreign nationals are becoming involved in these crimes,” he added.
Senators Grace Poe and Risa Hontiveros have likewise sounded the alarm on the gruesome murder of Uy.
They called on the executive branch to make its final decision on the proposal to ban Pogos permanently, citing the industry’s long history of criminal involvement.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who led the Senate panel on ways and means’ inquiry into the socioeconomic cost of Pogos, had earlier recommended a total Pogo shutdown through his chairman’s report.
READ: ‘Game over’: Gatchalian wants permanent ban on POGOs
According to him, Uy’s death should prompt the PNP to unearth Pogos’ suspicious activities again.
“As we have seen in the past, Pogos have been the favorite mode of entry to our country by these criminal syndicates. I urge the police force to once again put the spotlight on Pogos and the people behind this shady business. Our biggest fear that these syndicates will rechannel their attention to local businessmen has already begun. This is the primary reason to continue fighting to keep our communities safe,” Gatchalian said in his own statement.