A GROWING number of senators are calling for the suspension of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) to give authorities a free hand in their investigation.

Senator Lito Lapid who was a native of Porac, Pampanga insisted to include the recent Porac POGO hub raid in the investigations in the Senate to be able to unmask those who are behind the operations and the alleged protector behind this POGO in Pampanga.

“Nararapat na magsagawa ng masusing imbestigasyon upang malaman kung sino ang mga taong tunay na nat mamay-ari ng mga lupa at mga building na ginagamit sa POGO at ang mga kompanyang nagpapatakbo dito nang sa ganun malaman ang buong katotohanan kung sino talaga ang nasa likod ng mga POGO na yan,” Lapid was quoted as saying.

Lapid also lauded the recent move of Phil Anti Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) for their successful operation in Porac that unmasked various criminal activities being done inside the POGO hub victimizing innocent lives through scamming, hacking, prostitutions, human trafficking, torturing and money laundering.

Several sachets of illegal drugs and some PLA Chinese Military camouflage uniform with Chinese character were also found inside the POGO hub.

Senator Imee Marcos also expressed strong support for the suspension of POGOs as she urged the need for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) to immediately come up with a clear policy on POGO.

She said PAGCOR should really weigh its options and with this ongoing situations she suggested that if the PAGCOR and all other agencies like the Local Government Units, as well as police and judiciary cannot regulate POGO anymore, it is high time that we consider stopping POGO in its operations.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian earlier claimed that POGO is not actually helping the country in terms of taxes. The P12 billion earnings from POGO, he said cannot compensate the reputational and social costs.

Deputy Minority Leader Senator Risa Hontiveros said it is very alarming that these POGOs are using our citizenship in our countries pretending to be Filipinos and doing unimaginable crimes using our own citizenship abroad.

Hontiveros said the reputation of our country is at stake as she urged President Ferdinand Marcos jr. to consider POGO as a national security threat and impose their total ban in the Philippines.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel earlier said POGO should be banned for being detrimental to national interest.

Meanwhile, Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, appealed to President Marcos Jr. to heed the call in the light of the continuing saga of crime and violence perpetrated by Chinese syndicates hosted by these POGO establishments.

“POGOs are banned in China, yet we continue to give them safe haven and sanctuary in our country. Worse, criminal syndicates only use these POGOs as fronts for their gruesome and illegal activities,” Barbers said. With Jester Manalastas