By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Despite Police Regional Office-18 (PRO-18) Director, Police Chief Superintendent Renato Gumban, denying claims of links to illegal gambling in Negros Occidental, and even threatening libel suits against anybody who files such charges, Task Force Crusaders (TFC) national commander, retired Lt. Gen. Romeo Maganto, recently said he expects “appropriate action” to be taken.
While in Bacolod City over the weekend, Maganto said he will be discussing the issue of illegal gambling protection by law enforcement officials directly with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director-General Ronald Dela Rosa.
Without naming anybody specifically, the TFC chief said, “Expect appropriate action will be taken against these police officials.”
He also praised the Negros Occidental chapter of TFC in their success.
Maganto said, in Negros Occidental, TFC has become a “venue for people who have a complaint against government officials and employees.”
“[TFC] can be the conduit of the public on the injustices that are committed against them,” he added.
The retired police official gave the group a grade of 100 percent, claiming they get results almost every week.
“TFC has helped a lot of people in filing cases in the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice, as well as national agencies, against officials committing graft,” Maganto explained. “This is the only way for us, the people, to give justice to those who do not have any connections and political backing.”
Meanwhile, Maganto led the installation of former Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Deputy Director, Police Superintendent Armando Tubongbanua, as regional commander of the Negros Island Region TFC.
Tubongbanua replaced another retired Bacolod City police officer, Rex Noble./WDJ