Malacañang on Sunday warned that President Rodrigo Duterte won’t think twice in removing public officials who are involved in illegal gambling.
“The President had repeatedly gave a stern warning to us, government employees that if we’re caught red-handed practicing corruption, they will be the first ones to go,” Communications Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar told state radio dzRB.
“[The President] won’t think twice in removing and filing charges agains these government officials who practice corruption, especially in illegal drugs and gambling,” he stressed.
Following President Duterte’s order for enforcers to get tough on online gambling operations in the country, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella reminded law enforcement officials not to take advantage of the President’s war on illegal gambling as cover for other activities.
“We continue to remind those who are in the police, in the PNP and all those related law enforcement agencies that please be careful and not to forget that our main purpose is really, to build the nation and not to build our own pockets and own wealth,” Abella said. .
Abella echoed the President’s call for law enforcers to live simply and turn their backs on the tendency to live beyond their means.
“Do not try to aspire for things that you cannot afford,” he added.
On Friday, Duterte instructed the PNP, the NBI, and law enforcement agencies to “coordinate and promptly act on requests of gambling regulatory authorities to investigate and put a stop to illegal activities in their respective jurisdictions.”
This as he prohibited the assignment, sharing, lease, transfer or selling of online gambling licenses in the country, while those who wanted to operate outside the jurisdiction of the government’s authority must apply for a separate license.
Last week, rogue police officers from the National Capital region Police Office who are facing different administrative complaints received a tongue lashing from President Duterte and were ordered to prepare for reassignment to conflict-hit Mindanao.