Cebu - The Cebu Provincial Police Office confiscated 10 illegal gambling machines during simultaneous raids in two barangays in Naga City yesterday.
In barangay Inayagan, former barangay captain and incumbent barangay councilman Narciso Boy Tablate assisted policemen in confiscating seven video karera machines and two moli-moli slot machines.
Three men, Anastacio Reponte Binohilos, 22; Elden Repolla, 26; and a 17-year-old, were also arrested after being caught gambling with the machines.
In sitio Suba, barangay Tuyan, one video karera was confiscated but no one was arrested.
None of the caretakers of the confiscated illegal gambling machines were in the area when the operation was conducted by the CPPO personnel led by SPO4 Ernesto Navales.
SPO1 Kenneth Abella said that they believe that only one person owns the seized gambling machines because they all have a similar design.
“Bisag wala pa nadakpan ang mga caretaker sa mga video karera, pasaka-an gihapon ni namo sila og kaso kay na identify man sila. Apil nasad ning nanuwa unya naabtan namu sa akto. Ug ang menor de edad mapasakaan namo og kaso unya i-custody na sa DSWD,” Abella said.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the committee on peace and order in the Provincial Board will be calling for a dialogue between town officials and the chiefs of police in different municipalities having problems with illegal gambling.
PB member Wilfredo Caminero said he will also ask CPPO chief Carmelo Valmoria to submit to his committee a list of municipalities where illegal number games are rampant.
Caminero admitted that it is already disturbing that some municipal officials are being linked to illegal activities and is saddened that Rey Tindoy, the executive assistant of San Francisco, Camotes, Mayor Alfredo Arquillano, was arrested because of his alleged involvement in masiao operations.
He also said the problem of illegal gambling is not only isolated to Camotes but is also present in the other towns.
PB member Agnes Magpale, whose jurisdiction includes Camotes, said she is willing to take the initiative in the PB to help address the problem.
In fact, Magpale said PB called the provincial prosecutor last Monday to apprise them of the situation of the drug cases in the province and they might do the same in the case of the illegal gambling.
Tindoy was arrested by the police in a raid last January 25 for allegedly being a masiao financier. -Christopher Gabriel Bonjoc and Fred P. Languido/BRP (THE FREEMAN)