MANILA, Philippines – Inirekomenda ng isang lupon sa Senado na magtayo ang Philippine National Police (PNP) ng isang identity verification check-points sa lahat ng dayuhan na nagtutungo sa kidnapping-prone areas.
Bukod, inirekomenda din ng Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs na sumailalim ang Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Kidnapping Group sa Chinese at Malay language courses.
Nakatala ito sa rekomendasyon ng komite sa 40-pahinang committee report sa imbestigasyon ng kidnapping na kinasasangkutan ng Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
“The PNP should regularly implement ‘Oplan Sita’ on foreigners at checkpoints wherein the police officers would be allowed to inspect and verify the identification of random foreigners, especially in the identified kidnapping-prone areas by local territorial units,” ayon sa committee report.
“The PNP-AKG personnel should undergo foreign language training courses, including Chinese and Malay, among others,” dagdag ng dokumento.
Bukod dito, inirekomenda din ng lupon ang pagbasura sa Republic Act 11590 o ang batas sa pagbubuwis ng POGO, paghihigpit sa pagbibigay ng work permit sa dayuhan at parerebyu ng batas sa pag-aari ng baril sa dayuhan na gumamit at bumili ng armas.
“POGO is a system, or to put it in gambling-related terms, a large-scale bookie that facilitates the betting in games… Our country seems to have become a sanctuary for Chinese gamblers. In dire need to fund programs of the government, we picked a pack and dealt the cards,” ayon sa committee report.
“Had it been known back then that it would bring disorder, would the government have taken a chance on POGOs? There seems to be a misdeal. The Committee would like to believe that the lives and safety of our fellow Filipinos will always outweigh the revenues that POGOs bring,” dagdag ng dokumento.
Natuklasan ng komite na: “greatly, if not equally, alarming to know that these Chinese foreigners consider our streets the playground for their thug-like activities.”
“Is it all worth it? The Philippines may have pushed its luck too far in accommodating POGOs. Our government must now pull all the tricks it has left in its bag to win against the social ills that come with gambling,” ayon sa committee.
“It is an opportune time to show the world that the Philippine government does not fold to organized crimes–we always go ALL IN against them,” dagdag nito. Ernie Reyes
