Another cop sacked over Swertres

ANOTHER police chief in Negros Oriental was sacked for failing to curb the “swertres” illegal numbers game in his city, bringing to four the number of police chiefs relieved in the province in the past two weeks.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo announced yesterday the relief of Supt. James Arsenio Turbela, police chief of Canlaon City, after three others police officials were meted similar punishment on the strength of the Philippine National Police “one-strike policy” on illegal gambling.

In a report to Robredo, Senior Supt. Edward Carranza, director of the Negros Oriental police, said he ordered Turbela’s relief over his inability to stop the operations of swertres in the province and “despite protestations from several local chief executives” there.

Carranza said the sacking of the police chiefs had earned the ire of some mayors in Negros Oriental, who complained to the local media about the lack of coordination in the issuance of relief orders against the police chiefs. /INQUIRER