San Pablo cop chief sacked over jueteng

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao sacked the police chief of San Pablo City in Laguna yesterday for his failure to get rid of jueteng in his jurisdiction.

Relieved from his post was Superintendent Edgardo Tinio, who was replaced by a certain Superintendent Sarona.

Tinio’s relief came following a successful raid conducted by the Anti-Illegal Gambling Operations Task Force on a jueteng den in Barangay San Jose in San Pablo City last Thursday night.

Six jueteng workers were arrested by the Camp Crame-based anti-gambling task force, which was dispatched to San Pablo City due to reports that the illegal numbers game had resurfaced in the area, allegedly run by a certain Hermie Amante.

The raiding team, led by Chief Superintendent Florante Baguio, also confiscated a Mitsubishi Pajero, a Kia Besta van and a Honda motorcycle, which Amante allegedly used in his jueteng operations.

The six jueteng workers arrested — Primitivo Ventocilla, 50; Loreto Angles, 34; Marianito Bele, 56; Nestor Lyenes, 42; John Christopher Bautista, 32; and Mauel Malaguit, 53 — are now facing charges for violation of anti-gambling laws in the Department of Justice, Baguio said.

The owners of the raided house, Amante and a certain Pablito Guevarra, who were not around during the raid, were also charged.

Chief Superintendent Jesus Verzosa, Calabarzon police director, said gambling lords have been trying to revive jueteng in San Pablo City.

Verzosa said Tinio, being the police chief, has to suffer the consequences of his shortcomings.

Tinio’s relief is in line with Lomibao’s one-strike, anti-jueteng policy.