Dela Rosa to PNP: Curb gambling or face relief

DELA ROSA

Police Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has added illegal gambling to the list of priorities the police all over the country should wipe out.

“I am directing all regional directors to go all-out against illegal gambling. I’m giving them 15 days to stop illegal gambling. If they cannot stop illegal gambling, I will relieve them. I am giving them also the authority to relieve their provincial directors. And the provincial directors, I am giving them the authority to relieve their chiefs of police, those who are not performing, those who are not acting on my directive,” dela Rosa said.

His remarks were given during a press conference in Camp Crame yesterday.

Dela Rosa clarified however that his directive was not prompted by an order from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to cut the PNP’s cash incentives over its failure to stop illegal gambling.

In Cebu City, Police City Director, Senior Supt. Joel Doria expressed optimism that they would be able to curb illegal gambling in the city.

He said that he had already directed his station commanders to intensify operations against illegal gambling.

“(We also directed them) to issue a certification na wala ng illegal gambling sa area of responsibility nila,” Doria told Cebu Daily News.

(We also directed them to issue certification that there is no illegal gambling in their area of responsibility.)

Doria said the city’s Oplan Pokemon already recorded arrests, not just for illegal drugs, but also for violation of Republic Act 9287 or illegal gambling and Presidential Decree 1602 which covers video karera machines.

From August 2016 to July this year, CCPO arrested 90 persons for violation of RA 9287 and 506 persons for violation of PD 1602. They confiscated 425 video karera machines from One Time Big Time operations.