Metro cops probed for

There are four, and not three, ranking police officials in Metro Manila who are being investigated for violating a Philippine National Police (PNP) directive not to receive "tong" money from illegal gambling and bold show operators.

The name of Superintendent Harrison Tolosa, Manila police Station 2 chief was added to the list of ranking police officials ordered probed by PNP chief Director General Panfilo Lacson for the continued "tong" collection of their men, which The STAR reported last Wednesday.

No less than Chief Superintendent Efren Fernandez, deputy chief of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO), confirmed yesterday that Tolosa is the subject of a pre-charge investigation by Manila police director Chief Superintendent Avelino Razon Jr.

Tolosa joined Superintendents Elmer Jamias, Rolando Navarro and Raul Medina in Lacson's list of "tong" collectors.

Jamias is the Manila police Station 11 chief; Navarro heads the Muntinlupa City police and Medina is chief of the Eastern Police District (EPD) police intelligence operations group.

Fernandez yesterday gave the four's superior officers three days to submit their cases.

The maximum penalty that awaits them is dismissal from the service, he said.

Navarro denied abetting illegal gambling in his jurisdiction. His first quarter accomplishment showed that he initiated 49 operations against illegal vices which resulted in the arrests of 43 people and the confiscation of P1,990 in bets. Twenty-one cases have been filed in court.

Navarro's men also arrested over the weekened 14 jueteng personnel and consficated P5,025 in bets during a raid in Purok 7, Alabang. The jueteng den was believed owned by Boy Borjal, whose protector, an alias Isidro, drops the name of President Estrada.

His exemplary performance and outstanding achievements, according to Navarro, won him the NCRPO "Best City Police Station" award for January and March this year.

Jamias welcomed the probe against him.

"The truth shall set me free," he told The STAR in a telephone interview.

Jamias emphasized that since Lacson issued his directive of no "tong" money last January, he has strongly adhered to it.

Tolosa was not in his office when The STAR tried to get his comment. Medina was relieved from his post Saturday last week.

Razon said his committee is now finalizing its pre-charge investigation on Jamias and Tolosa. He promised to beat Fernandez' Wednesday deadline.