Both Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña (left) and Cebu City Police Office Director Royina Garma are facing illegal gambling issues based on documents that surfaced on Sunday, May 5, 2019. | CDND File Photos
CEBU CITY, Philippines–Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña released a bombshell in his grand rally speech on Sunday, May 5, 2019: Cebu City’s police director is a protector of illegal gambling operations in Central Visayas.
Osmeña made this announcement on the same day that a photo of a group of men allegedly involved in an illegal gambling activity in Cebu City circulated online. One of the men in the photo is believed to be Osmeña.
But Garma said Osmeña’s allegation is an old tale noting that the inquiry on illegal protectors within the police force happened when she was still the chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7).
READ: Tomas on illegal gambling issue: “I’m used to negative stories about me”
During his speech at the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) grand rally on Sunday, May 5, at the Cebu City Sports Center, Osmeña showed documents which listed the name of Garma as a protector of the illegal gambling operations of Globaltech’s Peryahan ng Bayan.
The documents, which came from the National Police Commission and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, listed down the names of police personnel, who are suspected to be protectors of illegal gambling.
The name of a “Reyina Marzan Garma” was included in the list who was suspected to be receiving payola from illegal gambling operators/financiers in the amount of P1 million every week
The document says Garma’s bag collector is a certain named “SPO4 (Senior Police Officer 4) Art.”
Osmeña said the documents were dated May 16, May 28, and June 6 in 2018.
He said somebody handed the documents to him.
Osmeña said he is releasing the documents for public information.
“I’m very confused. Why is this happening to Cebu?” Osmeña said.
Osmeña said he is not afraid of showing these documents because it is his job to “protect the people of the city.”
In a separate phone interview, Garma said that the allegation being brought up by the mayor is an old tale.
Garma told CDN Digital that there was an inquiry about her alleged involvement in protecting illegal gambling activities back when she was still the CIDG-7 chief.
However, Garma said the case was already closed and that she has “survived” that phase.
“Matagal na ‘yan, na survive ko na ‘yan,” said Garma.
(That’s an old issue. I already survived that.)
Garma said that she has been cleared from the case before she assumed as CCPO director in July 2018.
“Alam nyo, matagal na ‘yan na issue, tell him. Hindi ako ang kalaban n’ya sa eleksyon,” Garma said referring to Osmeña.
(It’s an old issue. Tell him that. I am not his opponent in the elections.)
Garma said Osmeña should present his platforms and show his constituents what he accomplished during his term as local chief executive rather than placing the police on a bad light.
“Ang ipagyabang niya dapat, i-present niya sa tao ano ba ang nagawa niya (He should instead present what he accomplished) for the past three years. I think that’s better,” said Garma. / celr