33 jueteng workers nabbed in 'biggest' QC raid

MANILA, Philippines - At least 33 alleged workers were arrested in a raid on a jueteng den in front of a school in Kamuning, Quezon City at noon yesterday, in what police believe may be the biggest anti-gambling operation in the city in recent years.

Policemen expressed shock that the operation of the illegal numbers game was housed in a three-story building across the street from Kamuning Elementary School.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent George Regis said they were investigating a certain “Don Ramon,” reportedly the operator of the facility. The building is said to be a “rebisahan,” where the bets are brought from the “kabohan” or where the bets are collected. The jueteng draw is done in yet another area.

“We just receive a text (message) about the winning combination,” one of the arrested workers said in Filipino.

Police officers from the QCPD’s Special Projects Unit, headed by Superintendent Zacarias Noel Villegas, conducted the operation based on a tip they received.

Police Officer 3 Jay Jay Curameng said the three-story building along T. Gener street is an apartment-type commercial establishment.

The raiding team arrested workers in the “morning shift,” with draw results just coming in. Police officers said there was another shift in the afternoon.

Among the items seized in the raid are the lists of bets called “kumbransya,” lists of possible combinations called “rota,” bet collections and other paraphernalia.

The 33 workers are facing illegal gambling charges under Presidential Decree 1602, as amended by Republic Act 9207.