The Senate probe led by Senator Bato dela Rosa on the alleged rising criminality in the country, which focused on POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators)-related kidnappings, might have encouraged the police to heighten its focus on POGO, which resulted in “zero POGO-related crimes.”
During the recent hearing of the Senate Ways and Means committee, joint with the Public Order and Dangerous Drugs panel chaired by Dela Rosa, the police regional directors of National Capital Region, Region 3, and Region 4-A confirmed that no POGO-related crimes were recorded from September 15, which was the day the legislator conducted the hearing on the allegation.
The main objective of the hearing was to examine the situation and fate of POGO amid the recent POGO-related kidnappings and murders.
“Nag-focus kami, sir, sa genuine police visibility.”
“Magmula nung nagkaroon ng hearing, sir, as of today, walang insidente ng kidnapping sa Metro Manila, sir… Nag-focus kami, sir, sa genuine police visibility specifically sa Entertainment City. Second, nagdagdag ako ng mga outpost sa area, more on crime prevention kami,” PBGen. Jonnel Estomo, acting NCRPO regional director, told the lawmaker during the hearing.
Estomo added, “Second, sir, pinatawag ko lahat ng mga involved sa POGO, kinausap, then, pati rin ‘yung mga counterpart namin sa, like, Immigration (Bureau of Immigration), PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation). Pinag-usapan namin, sir, parang workshop po ang dating, pinag-usapan namin na kung sakali man na magtuluy-tuloy ito at ang issue pa rin ay kidnapping, ano ang mga gagawin namin. ‘Yan po ang nangyari, sir.”
“We met with POGO operators and required them to secure national police clearance as an initial preventive measure.”
PBGen. Cesar Pasiwen, acting regional director of Police Regional Office 3, said he met with POGO operators and required them to secure national police clearance as an initial preventive measure.
“On that note, I would like to congratulate you for that best practice that you introduced. Maganda ‘yung kinalabasan no’n… So, for the record, NCR, zero; Region III, zero; Region IVA; zero crime incidents, POGO-related crime incidents after our hearing,” Dela Rosa concluded.
