Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla has named Maj. Edgar Tonico Jr., chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Bacolod City, as the alleged protector of a syndicate operating in Negros Occidental.
In a press conference held Monday, April 27, Remulla said Tonico is accused of shielding the syndicate whose illegal cigarette factory in Bago City and unauthorized e-sabong (online cockfighting) hub in Talisay City were recently dismantled.
Remulla confirmed that Tonico is currently under preventive custody at the CIDG Negros Island Region (NIR) headquarters while authorities finalize the case build-up for formal charges.
The secretary disclosed that the operations conducted last week in Negros were carried out by operatives from CIDG Cebu and the National Capital Region.
“We knew Tonico was involved, so we did not use the CIDG or police from the Negros Island Region during the raids,” Remulla said.
He further alleged that Tonico would mislead police units during previous operations to protect the syndicate’s interests.
The raid on the Bago City manufacturing plant led to the arrest of 10 Chinese nationals found without valid identification and the rescue of 15 Filipino workers.
Remulla said the owners of the tobacco plant and the Talisay e-sabong operations are the same.
The e-sabong illegal gambling operations were substantial with betting volume up to P5 million per fight, he said.
Remulla again linked the e-sabong operations to a recent wave of massive fighting cock thefts across Negros.
Authorities are now pursuing two key figures, identified as “Don Robert” and “Makmak,” who were allegedly in charge of the syndicates’ operations in Negros, Remulla said.
Remulla said he cannot say that Atong Ang was involved in the e-sabong operations in Talisay but Tonico and “Don Robert” were his known associates during the e-sabong days from 2020 to 2023.
“The CIDG is conducting follow-up operations, and we expect to have results by this week,” Remulla said.*
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