The Southern Police District is now coordinating with the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame in connection with the administrative case to be filed against Supt. Adrian Antonio who was caught playing inside a casino in Parañaque City.
SPD Director Tomas Apolinario said Antonio has been slapped with violation of Article 231 (Open Disobedience) of the Revised Penal Code before the Parañaque City Prosecutors Office Thursday afternoon.
The 35-year-old Antonio, who was assigned as administrative officer of the PNP’s Directorate for Operations, is now under the custody of the Parañaque City Police Station.
“We will forward the complaint sheet to his [Antonio] unit in Crame and they will be the one to conduct (the investigation for) the administrative case,” said Apolinario.
If found guilty, Antonio will be dismissed from the service.
Elements of the Parañaque City Police arrested Antonio while gambling at the Pit Arena 16 of City of Dreams Resort and Casino around 10:55 a.m. on Tuesday.
Apolinario said Antonio was monitored though the closed-circuit television camera inside the Pit Arena of the said establishment and caught in the act of playing baccarat. He added that Antonio also had an altercation with another player in the Casino that revealed his true identity.”
Presidential Memorandum Circular 06-2016 prohibits all government officials and employees, including policemen from entering and playing in casinos.
The government authorized the PNP to arrest any government employee and police personnel caught gambling inside casinos nationwide.
Before the policy was implemented, local government officials who were caught playing in casinos were simply asked to leave the gambling establishments.
Records from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. showed that in recent months, at least 20 local officials, mostly from the provinces, were caught playing in casinos.
PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa recently warned policemen who will be spotted inside gambling areas that they will be dismissed from the service. He added that those who will be caught in casinos will also be charged criminally and administratively.
Three months ago, a policewoman from Cebu City and a municipal councilor from Cordova town, Cebu, were also caught gambling in casinos.
Police Officer 2 Cyrelle Marie Bayate, 30, assigned at Police Station 1 on Sikatuna Street, Barangay Pari-an, Cebu City, was caught playing inside a hotel casino in Cebu City while Cordova Municipal Councilor Lemuel Pogoy was caught playing slot machine in a hotel casino in Lapu-Lapu City.