City government destroys 103 gambling machines

Cebu City officials yesterday destroyed 103 video karera and moli-moli machines in front of Cebu City Hall in its intensified drive against illegal gambling.

Councilor Augustus Pe Jr., chairman of the City Council committee on peace and order, said the illegal gambling machines were seized by the police from different barangays in the city.

Most of these gambling machines were confiscated from barangays Ermita, Pasil, Suba, Duljo-Fatima and Kamagayan.

City Hall worker Felix Jose Lazarte said they turned over the coins recovered from the gambling machines to the Children of Cebu Foundation and Cebu City Task Force on Street Children.

Pe said they have observed that there are only few video karera and moli-moli machines left in the city after the police had launched an intensified campaign a few months ago.

“Karon pipila na lang ang masakmit nga video karera sa kapulisan sa matag higayon nga sila mupahigayon og operasyon,” Lazarte said.

The City Hall also destroyed 82 units of video karera and moli-moli machines last February and 105 in July.   In the past years, hundreds of video karera and moli-moli machines had been destroyed by the City Hall.

“Makita man nimo nga hugot gyud ang atong kampanya batok sa illegal gambling mao nga ang mga operator mihinay pud sa ilang production,” Lazarte added.

Video karera and moli-moli machines use P1 coin for a number combination with the winner can win up to P500. — Rene U. Borromeo/LPM    (THE FREEMAN)