Pangasinan police chief sacked over ‘ameneng’

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — This province’s police director was unceremoniously sacked from his post yesterday for his alleged failure to rid the province of illegal gambling, particularly video machines locally known as hataw or ameneng.

Senior Superintendent Alan Purisima told The STAR in a phone interview that he got a call Tuesday night from the regional police command informing him of his relief.

Purisima, who had served as provincial police director for only nine months, said he was saddened by his ouster, adding that he had done his best to introduce reforms and innovations to further improve police service and maintain peace and order in Pangasinan.

"I am sad but it is a part of life that any police officer should face," he said.

Placed on floating status, Purisima said he would no longer bid goodbye to his men, adding, "I will just fade away."

Purisima has yet to receive the formal order for his relief, but said he would no longer wait for it.

His deputy for administration, Superintendent Alberto Vinluan, will take over as officer-in-charge of the provincial police.

Purisima suspects that it was his campaign against ameneng that resulted in his ouster, saying those who were hurt by his efforts might have gotten back at him.

He had confiscated several ameneng machines and burned them in the presence of the media a few months ago.

Ameneng is considered a poor man’s slot machine where the bettor drops a P1 coin and chooses a combination of fruits, horses and other pictures. Even school children are reportedly hooked on it.

Purisima said he expected his relief when the police chiefs of Urdaneta City and Bautista and Alcala towns were removed from their posts after Task Force Against Illegal Gambling confiscated a number of ameneng machines in their turfs.

Two businessmen in San Manuel town, however, have filed charges of extortion against members of the task force. Other local police chiefs have raised similar allegations.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Arturo Lomibao told local reporters last March 16 that he had deactivated the task force and transferred their task to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Lomibao, however, denied that he disbanded the task force due to the complaints against some of its members.

Purisima said he hopes that his successor would continue his programs such as the seminars for investigators and members of Task Force Hagibis, marksmanship drills and the first-of-its-kind website of the provincial police, among other things.

During Purisima’s term, Pangasinan was touted to be totally jueteng-free.