2 ‘prominent personalities’ eyed as gambling operators in Negros

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Two “prominent personalities” here are on the watch list of the Negros Occidental police as suspected financiers and operators of illegal gambling in the province.

Senior Superintendent Ricardo de la Paz, acting provincial police director, refused to identify them but said they are strengthening their case against these “big fish.”

A week after his re-election, Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. renewed his all-out war against illegal gambling, ordering the police to arrest its operators, especially in northern Negros where there are big-time gambling lords.

This week, De la Paz reported to Marañon that they were able to conduct 19 anti-gambling operations on May 22 to 26 and arrested 22 suspects.

Of these operations, five were in Escalante City where big-time financiers are reportedly operating jai alai and other forms of gambling, supposedly protected by politicians.

De la Paz said anti-gambling operations were also conducted in the cities of San Carlos, Escalante, Sagay, Cadiz, and Victorias, and Calatrava town, all in northern Negros; and in the towns of Isabela and Cauayan, and Kabankalan City in southern Negros.

De la Paz has directed all 31 police chiefs in the province to conduct a no-nonsense campaign against individuals and groups engaged in illegal gambling.

Saying that gambling makes the poor poorer, he urged the public not to depend on so-called “games of chance” for their livelihood.