WHY is it that we catch only the small fish while the big fish elude?
The trick question that Loay Mayor and LMP President Rosemarie Imboy posed authorities into
enforcing laws on drugs and illegal numbers game elicited varied reactions from members of the
Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting Tuesday.
Camp Dagohoy police chief and PPOC regular member reasoned out that aside from the fact that
cops could not be choosy on whom to apprehend, it is these small bet collectors that are more
visible.
PSSupt. Constantino Barot said illegal numbers game financiers have become so discreet and would
usually go great lengths to make sure no overt evidence links them to the operations.
Meanwhile, at the Talakayan Sa Isyung Pulis held in Clarin the following day, police officers in the
town admit that the fact that local cops are already identified by the operators or pushers, it makes it
doubly hard to get them into doing something stupid.
The issue resurfaced as the public has noted the resurgence of swertres, one that pushed people to
believe that indeed, the cessation a usual happening when a new provincial director wants to make
his presence felt.
PSSUpt. Baro however insisted that he has continued to issue orders to keep the town police
elements in constant operations to deny swertres workers from gaining the usual confidence.
Just keep the pressure and the people will know that we are on an honest to goodness campaign to
discourage those people involved to continue their operation, he said in a talk.
Even Clarin Mayor Allen Rey Piezas has to admit that swertres has resurged in Clarin.
Clarin, he said was one of the 22 Bohol towns which earlier signed a declaration of their being
swertres free, a document signed by the mayor, local government operations officer and in some
towns, including representatives from the church.
When he noticed the resurgence of the gambling in his town, he accordingly called his police chief to
give the mandate anew to keep the illegal numbers game off the town.
Many people said that the illegal operations of swertres hinge on three persons, the mayor, the chief
of police and the operator himself. (racPIABohol)
