75 illegal gambling machines destroyed

CEBU, Philippines - Seventy-five illegal gambling machines were destroyed in front of the City Hall yesterday morning by city government workers using a payloader.

The 35 video karera and 40 moli-moli slot machines were confiscated by the police from barangays Duljo-Fatima, Ermita and Pasil.

Since February 2005, there have been 25 public destructions of illegal gambling machines, this is after the intensified campaign against illegal gambling by councilor Augustus Pe Jr. of the Commission on Public Order and Safety.

The last public destruction of illegal gambling machines was last December 18. The Department of Public Services personnel noted a diminishing number of machines confiscated.

Since 2005 1,929 illegal gambling machines have been confiscated and destroyed, 945 of these are video karera machines and the rest are Moli-Moli slot machines. 

The government has turned over a total of P520,464 to the Cebu City Task Force on Street Children since 2005 from the money confiscated from the destroyed machines. –Crischellyn D. Abayon and Queennie Estrella Kuebler, UP Cebu Masscom interns/BRP (THE FREEMAN)