PNP pushes drive vs illegal gambling in Caraga

BUTUAN CITY – With a growing number of people mostly poor trying their luck in betting to illegal numbers game like swertres, fruit games and kulalong, the Caraga police are intensifying their anti-illegal gambling campaign by raiding suspected gambling dens here in Butuan City Friday evening.

Operatives of the Butuan City Police Office armed with warrant of arrest issued by RTC Branch 33 Judge Edgar Manilag of Butuan City raided a gambling den here situated at Purok 3-A, Barangay Holy Redeemer this city Friday evening.

Police said the house allegedly turned gambling den was operated by a certain Angelo Magsanay who is renting the house for his alleged illegal swertres operations

Nabbed together with Magsanay were Shembryl Broa Alfarero, 21, single, runner/collector and Eric Musico Soperada, 25, single, bet recorder.

Confiscated in their possession were 16 pieces of filled-up swertres tally sheets dated June 13, 44 pieces filled-up swertres tally sheets, 66 pieces issued swertres tickets, 24 blank swertres tally sheets, one unit Nokia 5300 mobile phone, one calculator, one stapler, one pad blank swertres ticket stub, seven pieces of ballpens and a red XRM motorcycle (7334) and bet money amounting to P3,109.50 in different denominations.

The arrest of the three suspected illegal gambling operators have reached a total of 67 ranging from alleged swertres bet collectors, runners, coordinators and financers who were initially arrested by anti-illegal gambling operatives formed by Caraga Police Regional Director Chief Superintendent Jaime Elorita Milla.

Fruit games and other vending machines situated near schools were also not spared by law enforcers although some raids against gambling dens were selective. They blamed corruption as the culprit.

But most of them already posted bail since bail bond for those found violating RA 9287, or the anti-illegal gambling law depends on the amount of bet money which is not remarkably high.