Cop ‘protecting Swertres,’ 13 others fall in Siquijor

CEBU, Philippines – A policeman was arrested by his colleagues after he was caught in the act of allegedly supervising an illegal numbers game, Friday in Lazi, Siquijor.

Police Officer 3 Luther Lapinig of the Regional Intelligence Unit-7, a national support unit of the Philippine National Police, was arrested along with 13 others who were allegedly tallying numbers for illegal numbers game locally known as Swertres.

The result under Swertres is reportedly based on the result of the legal Suertres introduced by Philippine Lotto wherein a bettor chooses a three-number combination. The game is drawn three times a day.

Superintendent Enrique Belciña, deputy provincial director for operations of Siquijor Police Provincial Office, said operatives of the Public Safety Platoon and of Lazi Police Station only stumbled upon the suspects while responding to a shooting incident.

Belciña said that at past 7 a.m. on Friday, the PPSC and Lazi Police operatives were conducting a checkpoint in Barangay Nagerong, Lazi when they received a report about a shooting incident near the area.

They responded to the alarm and met victim Gilbert Bangos, who was shot twice reportedly by Kim Thadeo Lapinig.

The policemen proceeded to the welding shop of a certain “Maning” where Kim was allegedly at.

Kim reportedly saw the responding policemen and ran at the back of the shop.

The police ran after Kim and reportedly noticed a group of persons who appeared to be busy tallying numbers and were allegedly being supervised by PO3 Lapinig.

The group scrambled upon seeing the police officers, but they were eventually cornered including PO3 Lapinig.

The arresting policemen confiscated several gambling paraphernalia in the area.

They also recovered from PO3 Lapinig’s possession his service firearm and another homemade KG-9 submachine gun both loaded with ammunition.

Belciña said it is “very ironic” that PO3 Lapinig is assigned at an intelligence unit yet acts as a “protector” of the illegal numbers game.

Both criminal and administrative charges will be filed against PO3 Lapinig, said Belciña. —  (FREEMAN)