10 arrested for illegal gambling in Las Piñas

Police arrested over the weekend 10 persons and confiscated from them P1,957 in cash during a raid on a jueteng den in Las Piñas City.

However, elements of the Southern Police District (SPD) failed to collar a certain Eddie Caro, believed to be the financier of the jueteng joint located at Hong Kong street in Admiral Subdivision in Barangay Talon.

Reports reaching the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) said Caro does not only operate the illegal game in Las Pinas but also in the cities of Muntinlupa and Parañaque and Rizal province.

The raid was part of a recent intensified illegal gambling campaign ordered by Metro Manila police chief Director Edgar Aglipay.

The raiding team headed by Senior Superintendent Oscar Catalan, of the district intelligence and investigation division (DIID) swooped down on the house where the drawing of the winning combinations of Caro’s jueteng was being held and arrested the employees and bet collectors.

Catalan identified those arrested Reynaldo Mendoza, 37; Myrna Bucal, 45; Cristy Grajo, 19; Marte Magdamit, 25; Elvie Reyes, 27; Felicitas Asares, 32; Juvert Bolante, 25; Andres de Mesa, 48; Abel Awalan, 45, and Jeric de Guzman, 36.

The suspects yielded lists of bets, a calculator, six ball pens, three numbered balls and cash totaling P1,957.

Catalan ordered the filing of illegal gambling cases against the suspects in the Las Piñas City prosecutor’s office. They are presently detained at the SPD headquarters at Fort Bonifacio.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Leandro Mendoza ordered yesterday a renewed crackdown on pornographic materials, compact discs (CDs) and publications which have proliferated anew on the streets.

Mendoza specifically directed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to conduct raids on various establishments selling smut tabloids, magazines, and X-rated CDs and VHS tapes.

According to CIDG chief Director Nestorio Gualberto, the order stemmed from the complaints reaching the Office of the President regarding the rampant trade in smut on the streets. — Non Alquitran and Christina Mendez