Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said he will relieve regional police directors if they fail to stop illegal gambling in their area within 15 days.

“I am directing all my regional directors to go all out against illegal gambling…I am giving them 15 days to stop illegal gambling. If they cannot stop illegal gambling area of responsibility then I will relieve them,” Dela Rosa said in an ambush interview.

“15 days is enough if they fail to finish I will start relieving commanders,” he added.

Dela Rosa said he is also giving the regional directors the authority to relieve its provincial directors and the provincial directors to the chief of police under them.

“I am giving them also the authority to relieve their provincial director and the provincial directors I am giving there the authority to relieve the chief of police those who are not performing those who are not reacting to my directive,” he said.

Dela Rosa also expressed his appeal to the operators of the Small Town Lottery (STL) to be truthful.

“I am taking this opportunity to appeal to the legal STL operators to be truthful, if we apprehend “bookies” illegal gamblers and you defend them it’s a different a matter,” he said.

“It’s very sad on the part of the police that we are always being blamed and these STL operators when we apprehend their bookies they will claim that they are under them and they are legal… so now we have to be frank we will go all out we will see it a survival of the fittest I will finish all of you, those illegal gamblers,” he added.

In February, President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order prohibiting illegal gambling but this month, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office accused the police of not going after illegal gambling. Robina Asido/DMS