Photo courtesy of PNP
Six arrests in a series of illegal gambling raids have triggered a leadership shake-up in Negros Oriental, with seven police commanders removed from their posts under the PNP’s One-Strike Policy.
The provincial director of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office and the police chiefs of Ayungon, Tayasan, Sibulan, Pamplona, Bayawan and Guihulngan were relieved following the Aug. 28 operations.
The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region designated its deputy regional director for operations as officer-in-charge of the provincial police office while retaining his current responsibilities.
PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said commanders would be held responsible when illegal activities were not adequately addressed within their jurisdictions.
“Police leadership demands accountability, and we will not hesitate to impose decisive action when commanders fail to address illegal activities within their areas of responsibility,” Nartatez said.
The administrative action followed simultaneous raids by the regional police’s Special Operations Group, which arrested six people allegedly involved in collecting and soliciting bets for illegal numbers games.
Police seized betting slips, improvised receipts, claim stubs, notebooks containing number combinations, marked money and cash believed to have come from the gambling operations.
The six suspects face allegations of violating Republic Act No. 9287, or the Anti-Illegal Numbers Games Law. The PNP said operations against illegal gambling would continue alongside enforcement of command accountability.
