THE Police Regional Office (PRO)-Northern Mindanao has began cracking down against illegal gambling.
Launched on Saturday, September 17, the anti-illegal gambling campaign comes ahead of the planned nationwide campaign as announced by Philippine National Police(PNP) chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa.
Chief Superintendent Noel Constantino, PRO-Northern Mindanao regional director, directed all units to strictly implement its region-wide anti-illegal gambling campaign.
Aside from going after drug personalities, the police will also focus its manpower and resources in conducting operations against illegal gambling.
"Thus, we will not wait for the directive from [national headquarters] which is already forthcoming but we will start now and gradually with increasing intensity launch our all-out campaign against illegal gambling in Northern Mindanao," Constantino said.
Dela Rosa had announced during his visit in the city over a month ago that the PNP will go after illegal gambling operations ‘once the battle against illegal drugs is won in six months.’
Dela Rosa even warned erring policemen to cut their ties with gambling lords and stop protecting gambling operations.
PNP-Northern Mindanao spokesperson Superintendent Surki Sereñas said an oversight committee will monitor the compliance of all major unit commanders, chiefs of police and station commanders to this directive.
Constantino said those who will not take action will be "administratively relieved, replaced and subjected to investigation."
The order also directed local police units to notify their respective local government executives about the directive and launch an information campaign to discourage the general public from supporting illegal gambling in their areas.
Sereñas also revealed that with the campaign against illegal drugs still ongoing, "a portion of the police force will be dedicated for this purpose while other personnel still sustaining the campaign against illegal drugs dubbed as Project Double Barrel."
Constantino said this two-pronged approach hopes to arrest drug lords who are at the same gambling operators.
"This crackdown is also undertaken in the light of reports that in some areas, there are drug lords who are also financiers of illegal gambling operations. The crackdown on illegal gambling operations will also deprive the drug lords the money they derive from illegal gambling," he added.
"We will enforce the law without fear or favor and will hold our ground and will not allow ourselves to be pressured by any person or entity. We both have the will and the skill to succeed in this campaign," Constantino said after pointing out that PRO10 has made significant headway in the war against illegal drugs in Northern Mindanao.