24 cops linked to illegal gambling

MANILA, Philippines - At least 24 police officers are reportedly “moonlighting” as illegal gambling financiers, operators, and bet collectors, a police official said yesterday.

Philippine National Police (PNP) officials are gathering evidence for the filing of criminal and administrative cases against these police officers.

“Illegal gambling is a crime,” Deputy Director General Felipe Rojas, the PNP’s Chief Directorial Staff (CDS) said. “A policeman may be held liable criminally and administratively if he is involved as mere cabo or financier of the said illegal activity.”

The names of the 24 police officers were mentioned by bet collectors and employees of illegal gambling joints arrested in raids by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and Intelligence Group (IG) since March 1.

Rojas declined to release the names. “We will summon the 24 policemen and confront them with evidence we gather prior to the conduct of summary dismissal proceedings against them,” he said.

The CIDG and IG are raiding illegal gambling joints all over the country based on a directive issued by Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

Based on the PNP’s “one strike” policy against illegal gambling, at least 92 station commanders and 12 provincial and city police directors were set to be relieved after at least one illegal gambling joint was found in their area of jurisdiction. The PNP, however, recalled the relief order in order to conduct further investigations and to properly coordinate with the Commission on Elections. Under the law, transferring government employees is prohibited during an election period.

Forewarned

The IG’s counter-intelligence unit reported that of the 24 police officers allegedly involved in illegal gambling, majority were assigned at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), while others are from Police Regional Offices (PROs) 2 in Cagayan Valley and 10 in Mindanao.

The financiers or operators of illegal gambling joints have a big advantage on their civilian counterparts because they are forewarned by their colleagues regarding raids and other operations against them, the IG said.

These police officers can also raid gambling dens and then assume ownership of the raided joints.

The IG reported that jueteng and Small Town Lottery bookies are more prevalent in Luzon, while bookies of “Suwertres,” “Last 2” and “Pick 3” thrive in the Visayas and Mindanao.

From Jan. 1 to Feb. 28, the PNP conducted a total of 5,057 raids and operations against illegal gambling, resulting in the arrest of 2,221 persons and the confiscation of P3,283,510 in cash bets. At least 919 cases were filed in court and 47 of them involved jueteng.

Despite the success of the CIDG and IG’s campaign against illegal gambling, the PNP leadership noted that not a single financier or operator was among those apprehended.

“An inquiry on the arrested persons revealed that most of them are bet collectors only,” a PNP report said.