- DCPO starts internal check to weed out police involvement in e-sabong
THE DAVAO City Police Office (DCPO) directed all station commanders to closely check their personnel for possible involvement in e-sabong or online cockfighting.
According to Captain Hazel Tuazon, the DCPO spokesperson, the city police director Alberto Lupaz has zero tolerance for any member of the force involved in illegal activities.
She also said that any police officer caught gambling or protecting an e-sabong operator would be charged administratively or criminally.
The recent audit was part of the order of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos to completely stop all illegal e-sabong.
On Feb. 22, 2023, the DILG issued Memorandum Circular 2023-30 reminding all local chief executives about the continuing suspension of e-sabong.
The order piggy-backed on the May 3, 2022, order of former president Rodrigo Duterte to clamp down on illegal online gambling activity nationwide. Duterte gave the order after police officers were dragged into the missing 30 sabungeros (bettors).
Meanwhile, the DCPO held a staff conference to tackle e-sabong and the Police Regional Office XI also committed to complying with the DILG order.
In Caraga Region, five provincial police directors down to precinct-level commanders coordinated with other law enforcement agencies “to apprehend those participating in or facilitating these illegal activities,” Brig. Gen. John Kirby Kraft, PRO-13 director, said in a recent press statement. on Monday.
The region’s five provinces are Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.
“As the vanguards of peace and order, it is our duty to address this challenge head-on and protect the integrity of our society,” Kraft was quoted as saying. (with reports from PNA)
