Court found 3 guilty over illegal gambling

3 were convicted after pleading guilty to a lesser offense

REGIONAL Trial Court Judge Alexander Acosta has convicted three people for their involvement in the illegal numbers game last month.

Acosta, of the RTC Branch 9, found Wilfredo Besin, Junior Abatayo and Noel Villaflor, alias Dodong, guilty of violating Republic Act 9287, or the act increasing the penalties on illegal numbers game.

Acosta handed down the decision during the Supreme Court-initiated Judgment Day last Nov. 17, which aimed at hastening the resolution of cases and to help decongest court dockets.

The three people were convicted after they pleaded “guilty to a lesser offense” during their arraignment.

Police arrested Besin for possession of illegal gambling paraphernalia including one stub with numbers combination, a ball pen and P50 bill last Sept. 12, 2016.

“With deliberate intent and without being authorized by Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, (Besin) did collect bets in behalf of his principal or financier for an illegal numbers game,” read the charge sheet signed by Prosecutor Simaco Labata.

During his arraignment, Besin, assisted by his counsel, pleaded “guilty to a lesser offense.”

Consequence

“This court, (is) convinced that the plea of guilt of the accused to the crime of betting is voluntarily and he knew the consequence of such crime,” said Judge Acosta in his order.

The judge sentenced Besin to 30 days in jail. But since the convict has been in jail for more than 30 days, Acosta ordered the jail warden to release Besin from detention.

On the other hand, police arrested Abatayo also for possession of gambling paraphernalia, including number combinations, ballpen and betting money worth P50 last Sept. 9, 2016.

During the pre-trial of the case last Nov. 17, Abatayo, through his counsel, also pleaded “guilty to a lesser offense.”

The judge also ordered Abatayo’s release from the city jail after the latter already spent more than a month there.