9 fall in illegal gambling crackdown

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Days after Malacañang announced a shift from its all-out war on drugs to ridding the country of illegal gambling, nine suspects in the operation of “jueteng” in Central Luzon were arrested a series of anti-vice operations in Bataan, Tarlac, and Pampanga, police said yesterday.

Chief Superintendent Aaron N. Aquino, Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director, said the first anti-vices operation was carried out last Sunday in Barangay Talimundoc, Orani, Bataan, which resulted in the arrest of alleged gambling financier, Matilde Manuel, and jueteng operator, Nico Ombrog, 25, of Dinalupihan, Bataan.

Senior Supt. Benjamin Silo, Bataan Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, said his operatives caught the two suspects red-handed while in the act of drawing the “bolillos” (numbered balls) for the winning jueteng combination of the day.

Seized from the two were a drop ball basket, four betting boards, two plastic trays, two drop balls and bet money amounting to 1590.

In Arayat, Pampanga, local police also conducted a raid in Barangay Bitas and arrested Junmar Dizon, 44, a “cabo” or bet collector for the jueteng bookies. Dizon yielded 1500 worth of bets.

Last Monday night, police busted Danilo Manalo, a card dealer for “sakla” a Spanish tarot card betting game being held in Barangay Virgen de los Remedios in Bamban, Tarlac. Seized from Manalo were cash bets in various denominations amounting to 1750.

In Bulacan, police operatives pounced on five residents of San Jose Del Monte City allegedly playing “cara y cruz,” a coin-betting game. Locked up by police for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1602 (Illegal Gambling) were Joshua Zarcilla, At-Jay Peralta, Tommy Gaulala, Rouando Booc, and Edgardo Manalogod.