𝗞𝗔𝗦𝗔𝗕𝗪𝗔𝗧? 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗮—𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗮?

A police officer assigned in Bacolod is now under investigation after allegations surfaced that he was protecting cigarette smuggling operations in Negros Island—the kind of dirty side-hustle that doesn’t just break the law, it keeps illegal networks alive.

The issue was flagged publicly by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla during a visit to Bago City, Negros Occidental on April 24, where he said the policeman is already under custody and will undergo further investigation.

Police Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay, chief of the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR), confirmed the probe and issued a clear warning: the region’s police command says it has zero tolerance for personnel linked to illegal operations—and anyone found violating the law or ethical standards will face administrative and criminal charges.

For PRO-NIR, the bigger stake here is public trust. When a cop is accused of shielding smuggling, the damage isn’t just “one bad apple”—it’s the message it sends to communities who are told to follow the rules while some enforcers allegedly help criminals dodge them.