‘Report cops playing golf during office hours’

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The public has a big role in the PNP’s internal cleansing campaign.

PNP chief General Archie Francisco Gamboa emphasized this point as he encouraged the public to report misdemeanors committed by police officers.

For starters, they could report police officers who play golf during office hours, he said.

“They could simply send as a picture and we would act on it,” Gamboa assured.

Following requests to allow police to play before or after office hours, Gamboa said cops could go golfing after office hours at driving range only.

A driving range is an area where golfers can practice their golf swing

On Oct. 15, 2019, a day after his predecessor former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde resigned, Gamboa signed an order banning cops from playing golf during weekdays.

Three months later, he relieved three senior Central Visayas police officers for violating the order.

They were Colonel Dennis Artil, Police Regional Office-7 comptroller; Police Lieutenant Colonel Richard Bad-Ang, PRO-7 finance services chief; and Police Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Mayam, PRO-7 Drug Enforcement Group chief.

In Region 6, Gamboa said he has not received any report of cops playing golf during office hours.

Iloilo is home to the Sta. Barbara Golf Course, one of the oldest in the country.