Napolcom clears CIDG in e-sabong raid

The National Police Commission has dismissed complaints against operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group over a March 24 raid on alleged e-sabong activities in Tondo, ruling that the operation was lawful and properly conducted.

In a statement, Commissioner Ralph Calinisan stressed that the agency will not tolerate the use of administrative cases to intimidate law enforcement officers carrying out legitimate duties.

“Napolcom will not allow itself to be used as an instrument for harassment against police officers who are lawfully discharging their sworn duties. While we remain resolute in our mandate to discipline erring personnel within the PNP (Philippine National Police), we are equally committed to protecting our officers from baseless and retaliatory complaints,” he said.

The complaints had questioned the legality of the CIDG operation at the Coliseo de Manila in Vitas, Tondo, and accused officers of theft. However, Napolcom found no probable cause, citing insufficient evidence to support the allegations.

A key piece of evidence—a video showing an operative appearing to pocket an item—was clarified by authorities as part of the operation’s protocol. According to Randulf Tuaño, the officer was retrieving a bet ticket as evidence and simultaneously giving a pre-arranged signal to initiate the raid.

“The movement of our operative was not theft of money but the retrieval of a bet ticket as evidence after he had already entered,” Tuaño said. “After recovering the bet ticket, he signaled his colleagues.”

The operation led to the arrest of 174 individuals and the seizure of dozens of items linked to illegal betting, including 48 desktop computers used as betting stations, 24 live roosters, cockfighting gaffs, and cash.

Napolcom said its findings reinforce the principle that administrative mechanisms should not be misused to undermine legitimate police actions.