LUCK is not on the side of the two police officers who got embroiled in illegal gambling over the weekend.
Dismissal from service awaits them after they were accused of organizing an illegal cockfight in Sitio Caimito, Barangay Lataban in Liloan on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 21, 2020.
News of their involvement happened to come out when PNP Chief Gen. Debold Sinas was in Cebu for a thanksgiving activity following his appointment as Philippine National Police chief earlier this month.
During his visit, Sinas said his campaign to cleanse the organization of illegal activities would continue in a grander scale.
According to Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 director, he is waiting for the report from the head of the Cebu Provincial Police Office so the investigation can begin.
Ferro has declined to name the two police officers since a case has not yet been filed against them, but he said they are assigned in different areas in Metro Cebu.
He said the two police officers committed a grave offense.
“The investigation will surely follow and the necessary administrative case will be filed and maybe a criminal case will be filed against them because it’s a violation of IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) guidelines. Republic Act 11332 (“Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act”) does not allow such kind of mass gathering. And for a police officer to be involved in illegal gambling, it’s an offense that you could be dismissed,” he added.
Ferro said he was disappointed that two police officers were not only linked to an illegal activity but it also appeared that they organized it after the PRO 7 ramped up its operation against illegal gambling.
He said the two police officers probably thought they would get away with it because police were busy with Sinas’ visit that day.
He said he has ordered the superiors of the two police officers to relieve them and take their badges and service firearms while they’re under investigation.
During last Saturday’s operation, members of the Provincial Intelligence Unit arrested 11 men at the illegal cockfight. One of the suspects said the two police officers had organized the activity.
A motorist who was passing by the area saw several motorcycles parked by the side of the road. He reported the matter to police after one of the residents informed him that an illegal cockfight was taking place at the top of the hill. (AYB / PJB)