Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos on Friday ordered the Philippine National Police to stop the deployment of police to escort officials working for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators companies.

"My directive is simple, it should be stopped immediately. Let us stop this for now before we filter the list," Abalos told reporters in a chance interview at the Senate.

He made the statement after PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. disclosed to lawmakers that they deploy police personnel to protect certain individuals linked to POGO companies.

"The SPG (Security and Protection Group) and our intelligence unit assess whether there are threats to these people, if so, we provide security to them," Azurin said during the Senate Committee on Finance budget deliberation for the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

He also noted that the same treatment was also provided to the family members of POGO officials.

However, the remarks irked lawmakers, particularly Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, who questioned the "special treatment" of these individuals.

"If the Philippines is such a dangerous place for them, then why are they here for business?" Pimentel asked.

"As the chief, how much are you in control of that office? That kind of reasoning is obviously nonsense. What is the relationship of the chief to that office? Is that under your control? Can you replace your judgment with your judgment or are they totally autonomous?" He added.

Likewise, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, chair of the Senate panel, stressed that Filipino taxpayers are the ones who are paying for personnel and it should provide security to the locals instead of these foreigners.

For his part, Azurini said he had already issued an order to review the individuals who can be provided with security by the police personnel.

Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, proposed to Azurin to just order the halting of deployment of police to POGO officials.