Bulacan police chief, intelligence officer sacked over jueteng

MEYCAUAYAN, Bulacan — The acting police chief of this town and his intelligence officer were relieved from their positions yesterday after the regional anti-illegal gambling task force arrested two suspected jueteng bet collectors here. 

Relieved upon orders of Chief Superintendent Alejandro Lapinid, Central Luzon police director, were Inspector Epafrodito Sibug Aliling, officer-in-charge of the Meycauayan police, and his intelligence officer, PO3 Nick Aspelli Saluyang.

Lapinid placed Aliling and Saluyang under investigation and directed them to explain why jueteng persisted in their jurisdiction despite orders from higher headquarters for a crackdown on all forms of illegal gambling.

Aliling reportedly took over as OIC after the municipal police chief, Superintendent Fernando Villanueva, met a vehicular accident last Sunday.

The regional task force, led by Superintendent Lebirato Elimuro, nabbed the jueteng bet collectors last Wednesday.

But Aliling and Saluyang, however, claimed that those arrested were not collectors of jueteng, but of lotto EZ-2.

The two were the first police officers sacked in Central Luzon since the renewed drive against the illegal numbers game.

Superintendent Abelardo Villacorta, deputy chief of the anti-illegal gambling task force, said local police chiefs are required to submit a certification that their respective areas are jueteng-free every 15th and 30th of the month.

He said the certification must be signed by the police chiefs themselves, local officials and leaders of non-government organizations.