Video karera bodega raided in Angeles

ANGELES CITY — A regional police team raided yesterday a warehouse of a suspected illegal gambling operator and confiscated 54 video karera machines in Barangay Cutcut here.

This, amid reports that video karera has become pervasive in this city and other parts of Central Luzon following the police crackdown on jueteng.

In a report, Chief Superintendent Alejandro Lapinid, Central Luzon police director, identified the alleged gambling operator as John Parish Tolentino, whose warehouse at Nepo Subdivision was raided on the strength of a search warrant issued by Angeles City Regional Trial Court Judge Irin Buan.

The STAR learned from various sources that Tolentino had allegedly monopolized video karera operations here until other operators, allegedly under the protection of some policemen, displaced him.

A video karera machine earns as much as P1,000 per day.

Seized from Tolentino’s warehouse were 54 video karera machines, five motorcycles, 17 "yokes" and 19 "hoppers," radio communications equipment, three "coin shooters," three rolls of electrical wiring, a tool box containing P4,000 cash, and other items used for video karera operations.

Tolentino and his workers reportedly fled before the raiding team arrived.

Policemen found cars blocking the warehouse, apparently to prevent them from immediately gaining access to the bodega.

The raid was done in the presence of barangay officials Edwin Bundalian and Romeo Castro, Camp Olivas said. — With Ric Sapnu