Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri vehemently condemned the kidnapping and murder of businessman Mario Uy by four foreigners - three Chinese and one Vietnamese - who are now under Philippine National Police (PNP) custody.
"It is not impossible that these suspects are connected to the gangs involved in the POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) industry,’’ Zubiri said.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate ways and means committee, had sought the termination of the permits given to POGO operators in the Philippines.
Zubiri said the horrific torture-slay of Uy is certainly not far from accounts of violence that has transpired in the POGO industry, ‘’and so I urge the PNP to look into this possibility.’’
"It has long been our fear that the violence perpetrated by foreign gangs on POGO operators will eventually graduate to violence against our own citizens, and from victims of human trafficking to Mr. Uy, these fears have very much become our alarming reality," the Senate chief emphasized.
"I join the bereaved family in seeking justice for Mr. Uy’s death, and calling for stronger protection and prosecution against foreign organized crime syndicates such as this," he added.