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Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

Reported cases of illegal numbers game are highest in the Calabarzon region compared to other regions in the country, data from the Philippine National Police for year 2023 and the first two months of 2024 showed.During Thursday’s hearing of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, PNP-Region 4A told the panel that of the 4,561 cases reported in the region for the period, more than 4,000 are bookies, an illegal numbers game that uses winning numbers from the small town lottery draws of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. Of the provinces in the region, bookies are highest in Laguna and Batangas, according to PNP-Calabarzon. This prompted the panel to invite to the next hearing the governors of these provinces, upon the motion of House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo.“’Pag sinabi ni governor, gusto ko tumigil ang sugalan sa teritoryo ko, titigil po ‘yan,” Tulfo said.(When the governor says I want illegal gambling in my territory to stop, it will stop.) “Bakit hindi po masawata ang pasugalan?” he asked.(Why can’t we put an end to illegal gambling?) The regional police office in Calabarzon admitted that while they have arrested illegal gambling operators, they have yet to apprehend a financer.“What have you done to go after the big fish?” Bukidnon 2nd District Representative Jonathan Keith Flores asked.“We are trying to establish a matrix kung saan papunta ang mga nahuhuli namin. Unfortunately, paiba-iba ang nasasabi nilang pangalan. Ang binabanggit nila, puro alias,” PNP-Calabarzon Regional Director PBrig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas replied.(We are trying to establish a matrix to identify the financer. Unfortunately, the aliases provided by arrested operators differ. They only mention aliases.) “Isn’t that more a reflection of the poor processes that our PNP is employing?” Flores asked further.“It’s not poor investigative skills. Mayroon naman kaming nahuhuling operator (We have apprehended illegal gambling operators.)... It’s part of our law enforcement function. We cannot just give our full time dito sa illegal gambling, dahil nakita n’yo naman ang number ng pulis natin (We cannot just give our full time to illegal gambling, because of the limited number of policemen we have),” Lucas added.He mentioned another challenge in their anti-illegal gambling operations.“‘‘Pag may nahuli sila, ‘pag papunta na sila to file ‘yung kaso hindi natutuloy kasi may kasunod na certification na ‘yung nahuli nila ay empleyado ng STL company. (In some arrests, the filing of cases did not push through because they later present certification that the arrested person is an employee of a legitimate STL company),” Lucas said.“So is it safe to say na may padrino?” Tulfo asked.“Yes,” Lucas replied.The House panel, meanwhile, ordered the issuance of subpoena for PCSO General Manager Mel Robles and two other officials of PCSO to appear in the next hearing. Robles failed to appear in the hearings twice, citing conflict with prior commitment.

Reported cases of illegal numbers game are highest in the Calabarzon region compared to other regions in the country, data from the Philippine National Police for year 2023 and the first two months of 2024 showed.

Reported cases of illegal numbers game are highest in the Calabarzon region compared to other regions in the country, data from the Philippine National Police for year 2023 and the first two months of 2024 showed.

PNP: Illegal numbers game cases highest in Calabarzon

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PNP: Illegal numbers game cases highest in Calabarzon

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 14, 2024 06:06 PM PHT

Read More:

illegal gambling

bookies

Calabarzon

crime

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