7 cops charged, punished for online sabong (Sabong News)
Author
Aaron Recuenco
Date
MARCH 02 2022
At least seven policemen were either charged or punished for their alleged addiction to online “sabong” (cockfighting).
The number, however, does not include the two policemen from Oriental Mindoro and Laguna who were separately caught for robbery.
Col. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the filing of administrative cases and subsequent imposition of penalties against the erring cops were part of the efforts to shield police personnel from being addicted to the online sabong.
“We have already intensified our counter-intelligence against those who are playing online sabong as part of the order of our Chief PNP (Gen. Dionardo Carlos) to unit commanders to catch them,” said Fajardo.
On Monday, Carlos ordered all policemen to refrain from playing online sabong, citing instances wherein those who are addicted to it would incur millions in debt.
Part of Carlos’ order is a random inspection of cellular phones of policemen, according to Fajardo.
Records from the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Mangement showed that seven complaints involving police personnel reportedly linked to e-sabong activities have been listed from January 1 to February 21, 2022.
Three police officers are assigned at Police Regional Office 4A, one is from Bicol, another from Eastern Visayas, one from the Highway Patrol Group (HPG), and one from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
Those from Region 4A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) are facing administrative complaint of Unbecoming of a Police Officer for failing to comply with any lawful order of a superior officer and act or behavior of a police officer, irrespective of rank, done in his official or private capacity which, in dishonoring or disgracing himself as police officer, seriously his character and standing in the PNP in such a manner as to indicated vitiated or corrupt state or moral character which shows his worthiness to remain in the police service.
The rest of the subjects for investigation were slapped with an administrative case of Grave Misconduct.
Police Staff Sergeant Jeffrey Cabelin of Police Regional Office 8 (Eastern Visayas) was suspended for 60 days while Staff Sergeant Hason Togana Jr. from the HPG was penalized with a six-month suspension.Police Corporal Moises Yango was dismissed from the service.
“This should serve as a lesson to their fellow police officers. There is no room for illegal gambling to thrive in the organization. It is unfortunate that we received complaints regarding their involvement in e-sabong, but they must face the consequences of their actions, no matter what their rank is,” said Carlos.
