Two employees of the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) in Dagupan City are under investigation after photos of them playing cards inside their office surfaced online.

The incident drew mixed reactions from the public, especially since it happened during a series of storms when authorities were on 24-hour watch.

In the photos, one staff member is seen holding a deck of cards while another has cards laid out on the table. Netizens criticized the act quickly, thinking the employees were gambling.

POSO said the workers were only passing the time after their duty and were not gambling. The money seen on the table, they explained, was not a bet but meant for coffee.

“Out of work na sila. Tapos na ‘yung duty nila. Ang mali lang is nasa office sila,” POSO Secretary April Rosal said.

Rosal also explained that the cards came from a colleague who had just returned from an outing.

POSO said they do not tolerate such behavior among their staff.

“Kung maglilibang rin sila, sana walang involved na cards,” Deputy Chief Rexon De Vera said.

For now, the two employees have been pulled out from work while the office conducts an investigation.

“Pag-uusapan namin nila mayor at saka ni POSO chief kung ano po yung magandang gawin doon sa dalawa,” De Vera added.