PNP eyes allowing card games, mahjong at wakes but on 2 tables only

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking to allow card and mahjong games during wakes, but it will have to coordinate with local chief executives.

In a press conference in Camp Crame on Tuesday, Gen. Archie Gamboa, the PNP chief, said the agency was eyeing to allow a maximum of two tables for gambling during wakes — one table for card games and one table for mahjong.

Gamboa made the announcement amid the PNP’s intensified drive against illegal gambling that he had ordered.

“I said: Let’s come up with a policy and communicate this again to the local chief executives. I said that wakes are traditionally allowed to go on for seven days for Catholics, and I think all other regions, [for a] maximum of two weeks,” he said in Filipino.

Only card games and mahjong would be allowed — a table for each at a wake.

“Now all other games done in the wake, we will not authorize it — even bingo, so that we will be clear,” Gamboa said.

The PNP will wait for the opinion of the local government units. If they would not comment, the PNP will push through with the policy.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) earlier prohibited all kinds of illegal gambling, such as card games and cockfights during wakes and fiestas.

READ: NCRPO bans card games, cockfights during wakes, fiestas in Metro Manila

Gamboa said that this directive would be revoked once their plan could puss through.

The PNP chief earlier ordered a one-strike policy against police officers involved in illegal activities, including illegal gambling.

Police officers will be immediately relieved once their subordinates are caught engaging in such activities.

So far, three city police chiefs in Metro Manila and seven unit commanders have been relieved for failing to curb illegal gambling in their areas.

READ: NCRPO: 3 city police chiefs, 7 unit commanders sacked over illegal gambling

Last month, Gamboa also gave police regional directors a one-week deadline to launch operations to curb illegal gambling in their areas.

He said regional directors had already been provided with a list of illegal gambling operators in their areas.

READ: Gamboa to regional chiefs: Stop jueteng in 1 week or face relief

/atm