Editorial, the Bohol Chronicle
The benefactors and beneficiaries of the P3-Million-A-Day Swertres illegal game in Bohol probably thought they were above the law.
This is because just a week earlier - the warning signals were fired. Region-7 Police Director Federico Terte gave the marching orders against the illegal trade and cited the "One Strike" policy over the heads of lawmen. Governor Erico Aumentado and the League of Municipalities declared war on the same.
But such has the lawlessness become in the city. They are now brazen enough to ignore the warning shots - precisely because they thought they can perpetuate the illegal activity with impunity. Because they thought they were above the law.
The Chronicle had postulated in its editorial what is already a National Fact of Life. That Swertres can never survive in a place without the protection of some high officials and some policemen. That's true from Aparri to Jolo - stated without fear of contradiction.
So for the long arm of the law to reach the suspects, it had to be creatively done beyond the ambit of the city. It had to take a Regional Judge to issue the search warrant and the raid to be done by elements of the Regional Police (Intelligence Division) led by SSupt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe and elements of the Bohol BPPO led by S/Supt Edgardo Ingking to nail the alleged "biggest financier" of swertres in the city and province, a public official at that (barangay captain Manolo Blanco) in Mansasa district of this city.
None of the city judges and police elements led by city police chief Julius Gornez had the faintest idea the lightning raid would occur Friday. And it was best that it was so. Word flies in the city like a swine flu influenza, faster than one can say "swertres".
Caught inflagrante delicto with half a million cash and paraphernalia alongside a coordinator, the authorities should now throw the library at this financier and give him 16 years in jail, P5 million in penalty and perpetual disbarment from holding public office. Lawmaker as lawbreaker - if found guilty - is such a frigging shame.
The record of the city police head Julius "Silence of the Lamb" Gornez should be immediately put on notice to the office of PNP Chief Verzosa. S/Supt Ingking may have come to his own in this one and should re-establish his credibility that indeed he is not a "cop on the take". But they have to keep on pushing because there are other financiers out there or crooks angling to grab the share of the fallen Manolo Blanco as "Top Gun".
Everyone knows that the City PNP is under the direct supervision of the City Mayor. It should therefore come from the mouth of City PNP chief Gornez if his seeming reluctance (which led to the regional PNP involvement) was because he was constrained by the City Mayor to go hammer and tongs against a trade that is known to almost everyone who can say his own name in the city.
Last week, when the Governor endorsed the anti-swertres drive and challenged the City Mayor to have the city drive as a model, all the public got was a resounding silence from City Hall. Instead we hear the City Chief Executive say "swertres will not go away as long as lotto exists."
Now that the Big-Time Financier of the illegal game will be formally charged by Regional Police elements - who used a ton of intelligence before making their move - all the City Mayor can say is "
I cannot abandon a friend (Manolo Blanco) and I will provide him the best lawyer."
Blanco is a protege and friend of the City Mayor - one of the 11 barangay captains in his political fold.
These are the facts of the case. You can draw your own conclusions.
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Topic: Who Is Above the Law in Tagbilaran? (Read 1256 times)