PNP activates anti-jueteng task force

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) has reactivated its special police units tasked to investigate and stop illegal gambling activities, particularly jueteng.

PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome said the PNP Anti-Illegal Gambling-Special Operations Task Forces (AIG-SOTF) at the national, regional and provincial levels are tasked to produce and analyze intelligence reports and information on illegal gambling activities and identify PNP personnel and other government officials and employees involved in its operations.

 In a Letter of Instruction, Bartolome said the AIG-SOTF would conduct general law enforcement operations against jueteng and other forms of illegal gambling.

Bartolome named Deputy Director General Emil Sarmiento, PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, as commander of the national PNP AIG-SOTF and Director Samuel Diciano, PNP Director for Investigation and Detective Management, as deputy task force commander.

Teams from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Intelligence Group and Special Action Force will assist the task force.

Regional and provincial directors will head their respective AIG-SOTFs composed of local police intelligence units, mobile groups and CIDG personnel.

Bartolome reiterated the “one strike policy” against chiefs of police who will be remiss in their duty will be imposed. 

Under the policy, any successful anti-illegal gambling operation by AIG-SOTF in a town or city shall result in the relief of the chief of police or precinct commander. A city police chief will be relieved when two of his subordinate precinct commanders had been relieved under similar circumstances.

The relief of three police chiefs in a province or chartered city under the one strike policy shall cause the relief of the provincial or city director.

A police regional director shall be relieved when two subordinate provincial or city directors have been dismissed.