By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has dismissed the cases filed against operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in connection with the March 24 operation targeting alleged online cockfighting (e-sabong) activities at the Coliseo de Manila in Vitas, Tondo.
In a statement Thursday, Napolcom Commissioner Ralph Calinisan reiterated the commission’s firm stance against the misuse of administrative remedies to harass law enforcement personnel performing their lawful duties.
“Napolcom will not allow itself to be used as an instrument for harassment against police officers who are lawfully discharging their sworn duties. While we remain resolute in our mandate to discipline erring personnel within the PNP (Philippine National Police), we are equally committed to protecting our officers from baseless and retaliatory complaints,” he said.
Napolcom said its findings affirm the legality and propriety of the operation and reinforce the principle that administrative processes must not be exploited to undermine legitimate law enforcement actions.
The complaint questioned the legality of the operation and accused the police officers of theft, but Napolcom said there was no probable cause to pursue the case based on its assessment of the evidence presented.
This included a video showing a supposed CIDG operative pocketing an item, which was later determined to be an agreed signal for the team to initiate the raid.
In a press briefing, Philippine National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said the officer seen in the video was actually collecting a “bet ticket” as evidence and using a “pre-arranged signal” to alert his team.
“The movement of our operative was not theft of money but the retrieval of a bet ticket as evidence after he had already entered,” Tuaño said. “After recovering the bet ticket, he signaled his colleagues.”
The operation resulted in the arrest of 174 individuals. Authorities also seized 48 desktop computers used as betting stations, 24 live roosters, cockfighting gaffs, and various amounts of cash. (PNA)
