The Manila Police District is gathering evidence against alleged gambling lords in the city following the relief of 10 precinct commanders for their supposed failure to arrest bet collectors.
The action taken against the 10 officials was based on the memorandum issued by Mayor Joseph Estrada to the MPD director, Chief Supt. Isagani Genabe, in line with the mayor’s “one-strike and no-take policy” on illegal gambling.
Another MPD official privy to the enforcement of the relief order, but who declined to be named for lack of authority to speak to the media, said the sacked station chiefs were “not necessarily on the take, but they had tolerated the proliferation of illegal gambling in their areas of responsibility.”
“They should have made some arrests, but instead it was the City Hall police detachment doing it,” the official added.
The relieved commanders include Chief Inspectors Magno Gallaro, Edward Samonte, Rexon Layug, Johnny Gaspar, Robinson Maranon, Efren Pangan, Ronaldo Santiago, Patrick de Leon, Leonardo de Guzman and Louie Guisic.
The MPD is currently building cases against five suspected drug lords operating in the city, including a couple, who are being linked to “jueteng” and video karera, according to the official.
Their alleged operations are spread across various Manila neighborhoods like Tondo, Barbosa, Asuncion, Blumentritt, Zamora, San Nicolas, Gagalangin, Delpan and Alvarez. Nancy C. Carvajal