A police sergeant, who was nabbed three months ago for illegal numbers game, was arrested anew in Cebu City, this time, for allegedly maintaining illegal cockfighting operations.
The second arrest of Police Staff Sergeant Charlito Tinoy puts into question the ongoing internal cleansing and disciplinary measures of the Philippine National Police (PNP) against its erring men.
Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, director of the PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), said Tinoy was collared along with his three alleged cohorts in a raid in Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City on Sunday.
“The suspects, led by Tinoy, was actually manning and betting in the illegal cockfighting game locally known as tigbakay or tupada,” said Lee.
Lee said the suspects, along with the other bettors who were able to escape, were monitored to be violating social distancing rules and were not wearing face masks.
In March this year, Tinoy was collared for engaging in a popular illegal numbers game in the Visayas which is roughly equivalent to “jueteng”.
And it was also the IMEG operatives who arrested him after confirming a tip-off that Tinoy was an alleged protector of illegal numbers game in Cebu City.
According to a press statement issued three months ago, Tinoy was charged with cases relating to illegal gambling. Separate administrative cases were also leveled against him.
But three months later, Tinoy was at it again at a time when he was supposed to be regularly checked at the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Section of the Central Visayas regional police.
The Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (PHAU) of the PNP is where policemen facing administrative charges are being assigned while waiting for the outcome of the cases slapped against them.
Based on the rule, the PNP-PHAU should regularly account for all these policemen since these cops are technically under restrictive custody.
The PNP is expected to resolve administrative cases within 90 days after a case was filed and in the case of Tinoy, he is supposed to be either already dismissed or acquitted on the charges leveled against him.
But the 90-day period usually drags on since due process is still to be observed.
Capt. Mae Cunanan, IMEG spokesperson, said they are now checking the status of the first set of administrative charges they filed against Tinoy.
“The resolution of cases usually takes long time but our Director, General Lee, had already ordered to check on the progress of the cases we previously filed against this policeman,” said Cunanan. (Aaron Recuenco)
