Dismissal awaits cops seen in casinos, Albayalde warns

Police officers seen in casinos and found to be involved in any gambling activity will be dismissed from service, Philippine National Police Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde warned on Monday.

His stern warning followed the recent directive of President Rodrigo Duterte ordering police officers to stay out of Okada Manila, a casino and hotel complex in Parañaque City, which he said was “crawling with usurers [and] kidnappers.”

READ: Duterte orders law enforcers to stay out of Okada Manila

“They will face dismissal, minimum iyon (that’s minimum), dismissal from service because that is a violation of a direct order,” Albayalde told reporters in a press briefing.

He said the PNP’s Counter-Intelligence Task Force, tasked to run after scalawags, has also caught some policemen inside casinos.

He admitted that despite the President’s consistent directive and remarks against law enforcers entering casinos, some members of the police force remained as “bad eggs.”

“Kung minsan, despite these reminders, meron talagang matigas ang ulo. Meron talagang mga misguided souls sa amin,” the police chief said.

(Sometimes, despite these reminders, there are really some who are hard-headed. There are really misguided souls among us.)

Albayalde reiterated that the police are not allowed to engage in gambling activities. /ee

READ: Cops now prohibited to gamble, drink in bars, clubs