Cop chiefs told: Enforce anti-gambling policies

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome yesterday reminded regional police directors to strictly implement the PNP’s “one-strike” and “no-take” policies on illegal gambling.

Bartolome was reacting to the apparent lackluster performance of some regional police offices in the drive against jueteng and other forms of illegal gambling.

Under the PNP’s twin policies, police officials found accepting money from known jueteng or gambling operators face dismissal from the service.

Meanwhile, police chiefs unable to stop illegal gambling in their respective jurisdictions will be relieved from their posts. 

The PNP’s Oversight Committee on Illegal Gambling chaired by Deputy Director General Emelito Sarmiento earlier noted the “lackluster performance” by some regional police offices in carrying out the anti-illegal gambling drive. 

Data from the PNP headquarters show that over the past five months, the success of the anti-illegal gambling drive nationwide had decreased by 25 percent, with the number of persons arrested for illegal gambling dropping by 28 percent compared to figures during the same period last year.

“The one-strike policy shall be vigorously observed with greater emphasis on command responsibility, while the no-take policy shall be the norm among all PNP personnel, consistent with prescribed ethical standards and the anti-graft law,” Bartolome said in a memorandum circulated by the PNP Directorate for Operations.

A number of local police chiefs have been removed from their posts for failing to stop illegal gambling in their respective turfs.

Meanwhile, Dangerous Drugs Board chairman Antonio Villar Jr. yesterday dared the PNP and the Department of the Interior and Local Governments to implement their anti-jueteng drive nationwide and not just in small towns to show their sincerity in enforcing the campaign.

Villar said the current anti-jueteng effort seems “only superficial with lowly police chiefs from small towns used as sacrificial lambs.” – With Eva Visperas