New masiao game gaining bettors in 6 Bohol towns

TAGBILARAN CITY — Masiao, an illegal numbers game, has resurfaced in at least six municipalities in Bohol in the form of masiao swertres, which derives the winning number combination from the last three digits of the daily lotto of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Early last week, a joint team of the local police and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) seized masiao swertres paraphernalia, including stubs and tally sheets, and P700 in bets from the house of one Orlando Olaer Tanedo in Guindulman town.

Inspector Sullivan Veruasa, local CIDG chief, led the raid on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Dionisio Calibo Jr. of Regional Trial Court Branch 50 in Loay town.

Besides Guindulman, sources said masiao swertres is gaining bettors in the municipalities of Talibon, Ubay, Carmen, Mabini and Candijay.

Guindulman Mayor Oriculo Granada confirmed the existence of masiao swertres in his town and claimed that certain municipal officials were behind it.

Granada said the identities of the masiao swertres financiers will be revealed as soon as evidence against them is gathered.

He said there are at least four financiers of the illegal numbers game based in Guindulman.

Sources said masiao swertres is generating a daily gross of P100,000 in the six towns, 42 percent of which go to the ushers and coordinators.

This is far smaller than during the heyday of masiao when province-wide collections could reach P5 million.

In masiao swertres, bets can be as low as 15 centavos. A 50-centavo bet can win P200, and a P1 bet, P400.

Granada has ordered the municipal police chief to crack down on the illegal numbers game.

The Philippine National Police has renewed its campaign against illegal gambling, particularly jueteng, another numbers game, amid allegations that people close to President Arroyo were involved in the jueteng payola.