DIRECTOR General Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), warned Monday his men of immediate dismissal if they are caught hanging out or moonlighting as loan sharks in casinos.
While he said that policemen have already warned before, Albayalde said the PNP will be unrelenting especially that even President Duterte has already been receiving reports about it despite his previous warnings.
“They will face dismissal. It’s the minimum penalty because that would be violation of a direct order,” said Albayalde.
President Duterte earlier warned policemen not to hang out in casinos over some anomalies and corruption.
It was learned that Albayalde has warned Metro Manila cops when he was still the director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to avoid casinos over some cases wherein policemen were involved in kidnapping and loan shark schemes.
The modus in the kidnapping is that loan sharks would abduct and detain casino players who would not be able to pay the loans they incurred.
Albayalde said the President might have been also informed about some cops luring their fellow cops and even soldiers to avail of loans for casino consumption.
“Policemen are really banned in any casinos or in any gambling operation. We cannot be involved in any gambling operation or we cannot bet,” said Albayalde.
Albayalde said they are strictly monitoring the activities of their men, especially those who were monitored to be frequenting casinos.
“There are still hard-headed policemen, misguided souls in our ranks, despite our reminders,” said Albayalde. (Aaron Recuenco)
