Alleged masiao financiers and runners charged

Cebu - Charges for illegal gambling were filed in court yesterday against two alleged masiao financiers in San Francisco, Camotes, --one of them a municipal official-- and five others believed to be masiao runners.

The Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office indicted Rey Tindoy, executive assistant to the mayor of San Francisco, and his alleged partner Silvestre Formentera Jr. for violation of Section 3(b) of the Republic Act 9287 otherwise known as illegal gambling.

The suspected runners charged with the same offense were identified as Reynaldo Gido, Ceferino Dalumpines, Jolito Gorgonio, Jerry Lakbayot and Jose Luchavez.

Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Patralba approved the filing of the case in court after the inquest investigation conducted by assistant provincial prosecutor Rustom Presas Jr. The prosecutor’s office recommended a P60,000 bail for each of the accused.

Elements of the Provincial Intelligence and Investigation Bureau swooped down on Tindoy and Formentera’s houses in Poblacion, San Francisco, Camotes, last January 25 with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court judge Gabriel Ingles.

The police seized from Formentera P3,210 and four motorcycles allegedly used by his runners in collecting remittances. Gambling paraphernalia and P27,000 were also seized from Tindoy.

The police said that they caught the suspects on the act of tallying masiao results. San Francisco Mayor Alfredo Arquillano, in an interview over dyLA, said he already warned his employees not to engage in illegal activities.

He also said he will wait until the result of the investigation against Tindoy before taking any possible disciplinary action.

Tindoy has been linked to former Pasil barangay captain Christopher Ong, who is currently a consultant of acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

According to the police report, Tindoy is remitting the proceeds of the illegal numbers game to Ong which the latter also denied.

San Francisco police investigator Mario Abasolo, in a separate interview, said that they are not aware of Tindoy’s operation. Abasolo however admitted that they knew that masiao is still operating in the town but they have not conducted operations against it.

He said the last time they conducted an operation against illegal gambling was in 2002. He also added that some of the operators are close to some municipal officials, although he declined to name names.

Meanwhile, Rama said so far he has not received any negative report about Ong in his three years in his office.

He said though he will have to evaluate whether he needs an official report or complaint on Ong to order a separate investigation.

Ong has said that he and Tindoy are only friends and added he is open to any investigation so he can clear his name. – Fred P. Languido and Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP (THE FREEMAN)