By Aaron Recuenco  The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has prohibited all forms of gambling being played for keeps during wakes as the national police leadership intensified the campaign against illegal gambling. NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas
(PIO NCRPO / MANILA BULLETIN) NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas said he has spoken with local chief executives in Metro Manila on the implementation of his directive which is an offshoot of the no-take policy of the Philippine National Police (PNP). “The directive against gambling includes wakes. Just because there is dead there does not mean that you could set up large “saklaan” there,” Sinas said in a press briefing on Monday. “Sakla” is a popular card game similar to the Spanish tarot. In Filipino culture, it is played at wakes to draw mourners and keep them awake. But beyond its goal of keeping mourners awake, sakla also serves as a means of generating income for the family of the dead, especially for the poor who have to raise money to pay for burial expenses. Aside from sakla, among the popular gambling games during wakes are pusoy, tong-its, and bingo. There have been attempts in the past to ban these games during wakes but barangay officials are forced to allow them out of compassion due to the appeals mostly of poor relatives of the dead. Sinas said this time the prohibition will be strictly implemented. In its implementation, Sinas said local police commanders have to talk first to barangay captains and relatives of the dead to stop any form of gambling at wakes. “The purpose of this is to show that we do not disrespect the dead and the mourning. That is why our commanders have to talk to the parties involved first,” Sinas said. If the family of the dead would refuse and go on, Sinas said that would be the time a raid would be conducted, which includes confiscation of bets and gambling paraphernalia, and even arrests and filing of cases. Should commanders fail to raid the gambling during wakes, Sinas said that would be a reason for their relief. The NCRPO has stepped up operations against illegal gambling over persistent reports of policemen receiving grease money from operators. Last week, Sinas sacked several police commanders over the continued existence of illegal gambling.