N. Vizcaya provincial, town police chiefs axed over jueteng

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao ordered the immediate relief yesterday of this northern province’s police director and the police chief of Solano town due to the resurgence of jueteng.

The relief of Senior Superintendent Robert Mangaccat, Nueva Vizcaya police director, and Chief Inspector Francisco Palattao, Solano police chief, came a day after the Camp Crame-based anti-illegal gambling task force raided a jueteng den in Solano.

Mangaccat is set to retire in June this year, while Palattao is reportedly due for promotion.

The anti-illegal gambling task force, which Lomibao personally deployed, arrested at least 10 people caught in the act of drawing the day’s winning combination in Barangay Osmeña, Solano town at about 12 noon last Monday.

Chief Superintendent Jefferson Soriano, Cagayan Valley police director, said those apprehended are now under police custody while charges for violation of Presidential Decree 1602, or the anti-illegal gambling law, are being readied against them.

Superintendents Agripino Lopez and Domingo Lucas were named provincial police director and Solano police chief, respectively, in an acting capacity.

Last Monday’s raid came three days after the anti-illegal gambling task force was unsuccessful in its first anti-jueteng operation in Solano town.

However, unknown to the local police, Lomibao dispatched a separate team to conduct another raid last Monday, which yielded positive results.

"There are no sacred cows in our campaign against all forms of (illegal gambling)," said Lomibao during his visit here last Saturday.