MANILA, Philippines — Senators have renewed their calls to dissolve all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) after Chinese military uniforms were found in a recent raid at a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga — a discovery that one senator believes should "send chills down our spines."
In a statement on Tuesday, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that the discovery of the supposed People's Liberation Army uniforms in the compound of "Lucky South 99" corroborates the findings of intelligence agencies that have established links between POGOs and "foreign intelligence assets."
"Someone is hellbent on compromising our sovereignty," Hontiveros said.
"The implications of these uniforms should send chills down our spine. It is so clear that every POGO has exploited our economic vulnerabilities and that POGOs have now evolved into a breeding ground for crime and a national security threat," Hontiveros added.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Tuesday that the limited number of alleged Chinese military uniforms found in the POGO hub suggests that these may only have been used as "props" in "illicit online transactions."
Photos released to the public show that the seized uniforms bear the initials of "P.L.A.," which authorities believe stands for People's Liberation Army, the military troops of the Chinese Communist Party.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the discovery of the alleged uniforms is a "national security threat."
POGOs have "opened the doors, not only to criminal syndicates but also to those who want to destabilize and infiltrate" the Philippine government, Gatchalian added.
Sen. Grace Poe also called to ban all POGOs, saying that the scale and breadth of their illegal operations have become "appalling and costly for Filipinos."
— Cristina Chi