The Davao Police Regional Office yesterday said that there are no jueteng operators in the region, following the order of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Archie Gamboa to stop illegal gambling in seven days.
On Saturday, Feb. 22. Gamboa ordered all regional directors to stop jueteng, an illegal numbers game, and all forms of illegal gambling within their jurisdictions immediately.
But in a text message, PRO XI regional director Brig. Gen. Filmore Escobal, said the region historically has no problem with jueteng.
“We have no list to give because there is no jueteng in Region XI,” Escobal said.
Gamboa warned that all those who fail to comply could be sacked from their posts and be placed on a floating status.
The PNP’s moved on the intensified conduct of illegal gambling is part of its intensified internal cleansing program. The anti-illegal gambling order comes with a reiteration of the “No take policy.”
Earlier this month, the Davao Police Regional Office reminded PNP personnel about the “no-take policy” and “one-strike policy” in the campaign against illegal gambling.
“To all provincial directors (PD)s and chiefs of police continue the crackdown on illegal gambling and intensify your operations against illegal operators in order to eliminate illegal gambling operations that compete with the duly authorized PCSO accredited operators,” Escobal said.
He said that cracking down on illegal gambling activities will help boost the revenues of the PCSO.
Escobal said any police officer who will receive gifts from illegal gambling operators will be relieved immediately.
“Failure to comply with this directive, an immediate investigation will be conducted against unit commanders reported to have violated the ‘no-take policy’ and appropriate administrative charges will be filed against them,” he said.
The regional police director also warned that the station commander will be relieved once they fail to curb illegal gambling in their jurisdiction. If three chiefs of police will be sanctioned for allowing illegal gambling to proliferate, the provincial director will be relieved.
