Maranon welcomes TRO stopping jai-alai operator

BACOLOD CITY ,Philippines  - Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said he welcomed the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Court of Appeals (CA) against the jai-alai operations of Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. (MVGC).

"I welcomed the TRO. From the very start, I am against illegal gambling," Maranon said recently even as he commented earlier that he supported the proposed legalization of jai-alai in Negros Occidental.

The CA issued the TRO against the order of the Aparri Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Cagayan that enjoined the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) from enforcing its cease-and-desist order issued last April against all jai-alai operations of MVGC, both fronton and off-fronton.

The jai-alai betting operations of MVGC were allegedly being run by Charlie "Atong" Ang and purportedly being used as front for jueteng.

In a two-page resolution, the CA's Third Division granted the GAB's prayer for a TRO in a petition it filed last week through the Office of the Solicitor General. This meant that the GAB may now temporarily carry out its order to shut down Meridien's operations.

Marañon said last May that it would be better for jai-alai operations to be legalized here because he wanted policemen to focus on other matters of law enforcement instead of on eradication of illegal gambling.

He said policemen have better things to do than run after those who are involved in the illegal gambling, because their primary responsibility is to maintain peace and order in the locality. "So it is better that jai-alai should be legalized," he added.

Senior Supt. Allan Guisihan, police provincial director, also supported Maranon's stand but said an all-out campaign against jai-alai will continue while it is not yet legalized. "Our campaign against it will continue until such time that it is legalized," he said.

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and the Bacolod City Police Office, with the help of the GAB and other agencies, conducted raids and arrested those who were allegedly engaged in jai-alai operations.— Danny B. Dangcalan with reports from The Philippine Star