Mayor orders crackdown on illegal gambling

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has ordered the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to intensify its campaign against illegal gambling, directing police units to strictly enforce city ordinances and national directives.

The instruction was issued during a briefing at City Hall the other day attended by CCPO Officer-in-Charge Police Colonel Ricky C. Sumalde, City Councilor Paul Labra, unit heads and station commanders from the city’s 13 police stations.

Archival’s directive covers gambling activities that have proliferated in Cebu City, including Small Town Lottery (STL), Lotte, e-Sabong and cockfighting.

“I am directing your office to give particular attention to gambling activities within Cebu City, including but not limited to STL, Lotte, e-Sabong, cockfighting, and other similar activities,” Archival said.

STL is a government-sanctioned numbers game operated under the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, although unauthorized operations using its name have long been a concern.

“Lotte” refers to locally organized lottery-style betting activities, which are often unlicensed and unregulated.

E-Sabong, or online cockfighting, was banned nationwide in 2022 by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following reports of disappearances, debt-related crimes and exploitation linked to the industry.

Meanwhile, cockfighting remains legal under regulated conditions, but Cebu City Ordinance No. 1447, as amended by Ordinance No. 2806, imposes strict requirements on licensing, authorized activities and sites.

According to the City Public Information Office, Archival directed the CCPO to verify permits and ensure compliance with these provisions.

The intensified campaign in Cebu City also comes amid a broader national crackdown on illegal gambling.

In 2025, Marcos signed Executive Order No. 74 and Republic Act No. 12312, banning Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) amid concerns over their alleged links to fraud, trafficking and money laundering.

In April 2026, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, Department of Justice and Anti-Money Laundering Council adopted a unified Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to enforce the ban.

The procedure outlines how agencies should coordinate intelligence gathering, joint operations, evidence handling, prosecution, asset seizure and victim protection.

According to earlier official statements, the SOP was designed to strengthen enforcement and ensure that illegal gambling syndicates are dismantled and prosecuted.

Cebu has already seen the impact of the national crackdown.

In March this year, police in Cebu City arrested four Korean nationals for allegedly operating an illegal online gambling hub, which authorities linked to offshore-style operations similar to POGOs. The suspects were charged under Republic Act No. 9287, which imposes stiffer penalties for illegal numbers games, and the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

Local officials said the case underscored Cebu’s vulnerability to foreign-run gambling operations, reinforcing the need for strict enforcement of the POGO ban at the local level.

In June 2026, police also arrested 11 alleged swertres ushers in Danao City, Talisay City and Liloan, confiscating betting slips and cash believed to be proceeds from illegal gambling. — /FPL (FREEMAN)