By Jennifer P. Rendon
Police in Western Visayas conducted more than 800 anti-illegal gambling operations in the first semester of 2023.
Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 records indicated that different police units in the region conducted 814 anti-illegal gambling operations, which led to the arrest of 2,591 persons.
They also seized P595,290.25 cash bets.
The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPP) recorded the most number of operations at 356, or 43.73 percent of the total operations conducted.
Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) mounted 122 operations while Iloilo PPO had 87, Capiz PPO with 80, Iloilo City PO with 70, Antique PPO with 54, Aklan PPO with 45, and Guimaras PPO with 10.
In terms of confiscated cash bets, NOCPPO still topped the list with P245,348.50 while ICPO is second with P85,925.
Major Mary Grace Borio, PRO-6 spokesperson, said that despite the hundreds of operations, they did not arrest anyone for jueteng (illegal numbers game) or online sabong (cockfighting).
“A good number of arrests are those engaged in card games like pusoy and tong its and color games, pool, and billiard,” she said.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, Western Visayas police chief, said that the PNP’s one-strike policy remains in effect.
If illegal gambling operation is discovered in their areas of responsibility, unit commanders will immediately be relieved from their post, Villaflor added.
He cited that such order is embedded in the Honest and Aggressive Law Enforcement Operations of PNP chief General Benjamin Acorda’s 5-focused Agenda.
“We are expected to deliver high-impact, high-integrity results. Our best weapon is the people in the community who constantly help the police in this campaign by giving the police valuable information. This coupled with our intel-driven operations, PRO6 will surely have positive results in our campaign against illegal gambling,” Villaflor said.
With the one-strike policy in effect, the region’s top cop said that PRO6’s commitment to the campaign against illegal gambling will be ensured.
“We will strike, and we will implement the law on all forms of gambling,” Villaflor said.
