By: Aaron Recuenco
Police commanders are not so happy, and optimistic, about national police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa’s order to finish off jueteng and other forms of illegal gambling operations in 15 days.
No less than Dela Rosa himself disclosed it after a command conference with his regional commanders and other unit heads wherein he brought up the issue of his renewed campaign against illegal gambling operations.
“I gave them 15 days to stop illegal gambling in their areas of responsibility, medyo matamlay sila,” said dela Rosa.
But the order stays, according to the Chief PNP.
“I still told them that we have to do it, otherwise, I will start relieving my commanders after the deadline if they would not be able to stop illegal gambling,” Dela Rosa said.
The official said he then asked all the regional commanders and unit heads if they can do it: “I asked them to raise their hands if they can do it, and everybody raised their hands. So that means, we can stop illegal gambling.”
The biggest challenge, according to Dela Rosa, is in Luzon where ‘jueteng’ remains very popular despite the repeated crackdowns over the years.
He said that while there are other forms of illegal gambling in some major areas like in the Visayas and Mindanao, the illegal gambling problems in Luzon remains the biggest problem.