Bato to go after illegal gambling
PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa vowed to go after illegal gambling in three to six months following the all-out war against illegal drugs.
“After 6 months if we become victorious in our war against illegal drugs, our next war is illegal gambling, dyan tayo titira, yan ang ating focus,” dela Rosa said yesterday, August 12, during the 115th Police Service Anniversary celebration at Camp Vicente Alagar in barangay Lapasan, this city.
Dela Rosa said he will go after policemen accepting money from illegal gambling in the same manner as he is going after cops involved in illegal drugs.
The PNP chief admitted he was already offered millions of pesos from illegal gambling but said he refused to accept the bribe after being advised against it by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Ang mga player sa illegal gambling sa Luzon bangga-bangga na ilang ulo unsaon ko nila pagpadawat sa kwarta kay pirting dakoa millions ang offer kung PNP chief ka. Pero giingnan ko sa Presidente nga dili magpatali sa kamot kay maglisod na og operate against illegal gambling,”dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa said he expects to going after illegal gambling as easier compared to eradicating the illegal drug menace.
He said he will train his guns on illegal gambling as soon as the war on drugs is won, which he expects to be in six months.
“Tan-awon nato ang dagan sa illegal drugs kung kaya ra tagaan nato another 6 months ang illegal gambling. Dali rana kung modaog lang ta sa kampanya nato shift dayon ta sa illegal gambling,” dela Rosa said.
“Maayo maning gambling kay mga kalaban nato dili uga og utok, dili mobunot og pusil. Sa droga uga man og utok mga paranoid mamusil man diretso. Mas dali ra kalabanon ang illegal gambling,”dela Rosa added.
Just as in other parts of the country, illegal gambling has long been a menace in the city and inNorthern Mindanao.
Radio anchor Nilo Labares, then active in the campaign against illegal gambling, was ambushed by armed men in 2009 in apparent retribution for his commentaries. Labares survived. “We will support you all the way, hinahanapan pa paraan para modoble ang sweldo wag lang kayo tumanggap mula sa illegal gambling dahil masama yan. Dili mapugngan ang kasuko kung ikaw police nisulod sa PNP para moserbisyo unya ang uban misulod sa serbisyo para mangwarta wala nila gihunahuna ang kaugmaon sa ilang mga anak nga gikan sa illegal ilang gipakaon,”Dela Rosa said.
Northern Mindanao has also been widely reported to have the biggest illegal gambling operations on the country’s second largest island, according to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
Betting sites for the illegal numbers game locally known as suwertres is said to be common in the region.