Probe of foreigners sought

SENATOR Sherwin T. Gatchalian on Monday sought an investigation of the uptick of foreigners linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) engaged in crime living in posh subdivisions in the Philippine capital.

“This is something worthy of attention,” he said in a statement. “We need to ensure that any significant gathering of foreign nationals is not for the purpose of engaging in illegal activities given the trend of rising criminality attributed to these individuals involved in the industry.”

He cited claims by homeowners of Multinational Village in Parañaque City that there is an enclave of foreigners linked to POGOs.

Ms. Hontiveros-Baraquel earlier filed a resolution seeking to ban these operations in the country, saying many of these are still licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) despite their links to crime. — John Victor D. Ordoñez