2 Laguna police chiefs sacked over jueteng

MANILA, Philippines - Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr. ordered yesterday the relief of a city and town police chiefs of Laguna under the “one strike policy” on jueteng of the Philippine National Police.

Pagdilao relieved Superintendent Ferdinand de Castro, and Senior Inspector Noel Carias, chiefs of police of San Pablo City and Alaminos town respectively, after the National Bureau of Investigation conducted raids on jueteng dens in their areas of responsibility.

“The relief of the two chiefs of police should serve as notice to all our commanders that we are dead serious in our effort against jueteng in Calabarzon. This should warn them of the consequence of inaction or negligence,” Pagdilao said.

The relief of De Castro and Carias brought to four the number of police chiefs sacked for tolerating continued jueteng operations in their areas.

Early this month, two police chiefs of Nueva Ecija were relieved after a raid on jueteng quarters in their areas showed positive results.

When he assumed command of the Calabarzon police on Oct. 15, Pagdilao directed all provincial commanders, chief of police and unit commanders and said he wanted his command to be 100 percent jueteng-free.

However, on that same day, the NBI counter-intelligence division conducted a raid at Barangay San Ignacio in San Pablo City at about 2:30 p.m. resulting to the arrest of 14 persons and the confiscation of jueteng paraphernalia.

Several others scampered towards different directions upon seeing the approaching raiders, who also recovered at the site P12,700 cash bets, three small notebooks, five columnar pad sheets, ballpens, stamp pads, staplers and stapler wires, metal rubber stumper, papelitos or list of bets, cardboards with bet schedule and plastic bags.

Those arrested were identified as Fidencio Velasco, 39; Herson Mendoza, 22; Kim Patrick-Bitoonas, 19; Alvin Ignacio, 48; Vicky Ignacio, 48; Rosa de la Cruz, 58; Efren Nuque, 61; Conrado Capistrano, 63; Juanito Flores, 47; Ilona Reyes, 47; and a certain Rowena, 49, all residents of San Pablo City, and Jeffrey Cajayon, 18, and Kem Malala, 28, both from Candelaria, Quezon and Ilona Cruz, 39 of Bocaue, Bulacan.

The arrested suspects and the seized jueteng materials and bet money were brought to the NBI office while a case for Violation of Republic Act 9287 (Illegal Gambling) was filed against the suspects at San Pablo City prosecutor’s office.  

– With Ed Amoroso