Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero has backed Defense Secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro's stance that it is high time illegal POGO operations in the Philippines were ceased.
Escudero believes that whether or not these are close to military bases, illegal POGOs must be closed down and the people running them arrested.
Legal POGOs are a different matter, however, Escudero said that if the Defense Secretary was also referring to these, he should liaise with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), as POGOs have been declared a national concern and may affect national security.
Teodoro previously stated in a press release that POGOs operating near military bases must be dislodged as these are involved in "syndicated criminal activities" which are detrimental to the country's financial condition and ratings, and ultimately corrupt its society.
An investigation into the POGO hub in suspended mayor Alice Guo's jurisdiction, Bamban, Tarlac, is still ongoing under Senator Risa Hontiveros' Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality.
Sen. Lito Lapid also appealed for the Senate to include in its investigations the POGO hub which had been raided by Presidential Anti-Organized Crime personnel in Porac, Pampanga.
