Four active police officers and a civilian employee of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were arrested after they were caught engaging in online cockfight betting (e-sabong) and drinking in public in Cubao, Quezon City on Wednesday, June 19.
Col. Romeo Caramat, head of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) — formerly Counter-Intelligence Task Force – on Thursday identified those arrested as Senior M/Sgt. Gerry Ocampo, Senior M/Sgt. Demetrio Laroya, S/Sgt. Erwin Gobis, Cpl. Ariel Pasion and civilian employee Leo Ocinar, working at the Directorate for Personnel Records and Management.
The suspects were arrested inside a restaurant in Barangay Bagong Lipunan around 10 p.m. Wednesday.
Ocampo is assigned at the PNP Crime Laboratory while Laroya, Gobis, and Pasion are all assigned at the Health Service.
Also collared were former policeman Fidel Agustin, who is currently working for his reinstatement, and Teddy Carpio, owner of an online gaming establishment.
Seized during the operation were bet money amounting to P14,430, two television sets used for online gambling, digital video recorder, a roll of betting ticket, two high-definition digital TV boxes and 23 bottles of wine.
“The operation stemmed from the reports received by IMEG that several policemen are frequently seen engaged in an online betting and drinking spree at the said establishment,” said Caramat, adding this is the first police operation for the newly-created IMEG.
Caramat said a verification process disclosed that only one e-sabong license was issued and it was given to Philippines Cockfighting International located in Pampanga.
They were brought to the IMEG headquarters in Camp Crame for documentation and investigation for the eventual filing of raps for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 (Anti-Illegal Gambling Act) as amended in relation to Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and RA 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standard for Public Officials and Employees. — Christopher Lloyd Caliwan (PNA)
