Agusan town police chief axed over illegal gambling

BUTUAN CITY — For failing to even take notice of illegal gambling near their headquarters, the police chief of Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte found himself relieved from his post.

Chief Superintendent Geary Lingan Barias, Caraga police director, sacked Senior Inspector Zosimo Duarte after the alleged financier of a gambling den and eight of his "coordinators" were arrested during a raid Tuesday morning at the Landicho compound in Barangay 5.

Operatives of the anti-illegal gambling task force headed by Senior Superintendent Omar Sarip, deputy police regional director for operations, the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division and the provincial headquarters support group seized P25,000 in cash, a brand new fax machine, 20 calculators, and gambling paraphernalia.

During a command conference here, Barias warned all regional and mobile force commanders, city, municipal and provincial police chiefs that they face stiff sanctions if they fail to stop illegal gambling in their turfs.

"We are following the (one-strike) policy of (PNP chief Director General Arturo Lomibao) against those who fail to deliver in our anti-illegal gambling drive," he said.