Chase with armed man leads to gambling den

CEBU, Philippines – Police in Talisay City failed to corner an armed man who went amok in Barangay Tanke on Sunday evening but they managed to confiscate two units of illegal gambling machines in the process.

Authorities initially received a call from a concerned citizen informing them of a person allegedly brandishing his shotgun and challenging his neighbors to a fight.

A team led by Inspector Windell Abellana then responded to the scene.

The man who went amok was later identified to be Joni Mabanto, of legal age. However, upon sensing the presence of the police, the latter reportedly hid in the house of a neighbor.

Abellana and his men barged inside the house but Mabanto managed to jump out of the window, leaving his shotgun.

While chasing him, authorities instead saw two video-karera machines inside the house which were eventually seized and brought to Talisay City Police Station.

No one was arrested during the confiscation because according to the police, residents remained mum on who could have operated the gambling machines or who owns the house.

Last Sunday’s confiscation was not actually the first in Tanke.

The police earlier sequestered one illegal gambling unit in the same barangay, which became the basis of an earlier resolution by the City Council seeking to commend them.

City Councilor Edward Alesna, chairman of the Committee on Peace and Order, introduced earlier this week a resolution commending the Talisay City Police led by Supt. Germano Mallari following the first confiscation in Tanke.

But City Councilor Dennis Basillote extended his opposition to the passage of the resolution, saying it is really the duty of police officers to confiscate illegal gambling machines and stop other illegal activities.

He said there was nothing unusual with the confiscation. In fact, he said, eight police officers seized just one video-karera machine.

City Councilor Dennis Basillote opposed the passage of such measure, arguing that there was in fact nothing extraordinary with the single unit haul and that it was the police’s job in the first place.

Eventually, however, the resolution was approved after the opposition side’s two votes were trumped by nine votes of the majority. — Gabriel C. Bonjoc of BANAT News