By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Police Regional Office-18 (PRO-18) Director, Police Chief Superintendent Renato Gumban, denied accusations claiming he is involved in illegal gambling in Negros Occidental.
In an interview yesterday morning, following the opening of the PRO-18 3rd NIR Invitational Shootfest competition, Gumban said, since taking office, his office has accumulated many accomplishments in combatting illegal gambling, adding the ones accusing him were previously involved in the illicit activity.
“If they file a case against me, I’ll also file libel charges against them because they are lying,” Gumban said.
The PRO-18 chief explained all cops in the region have been ordered to go after illegal gambling suspects. He also said the previously-named suspects, from a list provided by the Task Force Crusaders (TFC), are also involved in the proliferation of illegal drugs.
Gumban used Edgar ‘Tolikoy’ Mellama as an example, saying he previously had links to slain Iloilo drug lord Melvin Odicta, Sr.
He added police chiefs will be immediately relieved of duty if illegal gambling remains prevalent in their respective areas./WDJ