The top police official of Pangasinan and 10 other officers have been removed from their posts following a series of anti-illegal gambling operations conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that resulted in the arrest of 170 individuals linked to jueteng activities.
Pangasinan police director Arbel Mercullo and other officers were reassigned to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit at Camp Crame while administrative investigations are underway.
Relieved were several key police officials, including intelligence and station commanders across Pangasinan and nearby areas. Among them were Lt. Col. Arvin Jacob, Lt. Col. Norman Rañon, Lt. Col. Jessie Balinang, Lt. Col. Quintin Casabar Jr., Lt. Col. Zaldy Fuentes, Maj. Noel Cabacungan, Maj. Ramsey Ganaban, Maj. Peter Paul Sison, Capt. Benedict Espinosa, and Capt. Christopher Nacional.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the move is part of ongoing personnel management measures and follows the discovery of operational and administrative lapses.
PNP spokesperson Randulf Tuaño said the relief of the officials stemmed from identified shortcomings in their performance, in line with directives from PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. to review the effectiveness of local police leadership.
Tuaño explained that regional commanders had been ordered to carry out administrative and operational assessments of provincial, city, and municipal police heads to ensure accountability and efficiency within the ranks.
He added that there are numerous qualified officers who can step into the vacated posts and meet the standards set by the PNP leadership.
The relief of the officials comes amid intensified efforts by authorities to crack down on illegal gambling operations, particularly jueteng, in the province.