Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
In a hotel in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu Province, Philippines, several senior police officers were dismissed after the discovery of illegal online gambling (POGO).
Recently dismissed was Colonel Ari Barren, who was removed from his position as the chief of Lapu-Lapu City Police just five months after his appointment.
Lapu-Lapu City Police Information Officer Dulce said that Colonel Conrado Manatad will serve as the acting chief of police following Barren's dismissal.
Also dismissed were Colonel Marlon Xendos, head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and Colonel Jevacio Balmaseda, head of the Regional Intelligence Unit.
A few days ago, two other officers were also dismissed; they were Major Do Aras, head of the intelligence department of Lapu-Lapu City Police, and Major Judith Bessas, chief of Police Station 4. The orders for their dismissal came from the national police headquarters.
On August 31, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, the Department of Social Welfare, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and the Bureau of Immigration jointly conducted the raid.
A group of foreigners including Chinese, Indonesians, and Burmese were arrested during the raid.
