LEGAZPI CITY -- Five chiefs of police in the Bicol region had been relieved from their posts for failure to stop illegal gambling operations in their areas of responsibility, an official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Office 5 said on Monday.
In an interview, Police Senior Inspector Ma. Luisa Calubaquib, the spokesperson of the PNP regional office in Bicol, said the chiefs of police relieved from posts headed the Daet Municipal Police Station and Mercedez Municipal Police Station in Camarines Norte province; Lagonoy Municipal Police Station and Pasacao Municipal Police Station in Camarines Sur; and Donsol Municipal Police Station in Sorsogon.
One of them is a superintendent and four are chief inspectors, Calubaquib added.
Calubaquib said the relief of the police officers was part of the one strike policy being implemented upon the order of PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa.
Data released by the police regional office showed that from February 3, 2017 to March 18, 2018, 1,226 police operations on illegal gambling were conducted regionwide and a total of 2,912 suspected illegal gamblers, including five elected officials, were arrested.
In Albay, the arrested suspects include a vice mayor and barangay officials; and another government official in Sorsogon province.
The arrested suspects were involved in sabong, jueteng, fruit game, drop ball, mahjong, color game, sakla, cara y cruz, STL bookies and other forms of illegal gambling. Police operatives were able to confiscate bet money amounting to PHP666,060.30.
"In the coming days there are other chiefs of police who might be relieved from their stations as some high-ranking officers in Camp Gen. Simeon Ola and the reviewing panel they created are now in the process of reviewing the overall performances of all the COPs and provincial directors," Calubaquib added.
Chiefs of police relieved from their posts will undergo retraining and face administrative penalties. (PNA)
