VILLASIS, Panagsinan – Fourteen collectors of the illegal number game jueteng were arrested here yesterday in a series of anti-illegal gambling operation conducted by the joint elements of the town’s police station, the Regional Intelligence Division, Regional Investigation and Detective and Management Division, the Regional Public Safety Battalion and the Provincial Public Safety Company.
Chief Inspector Norman Florentino, Villasis police chief, identified those arrested as Oscar Rodriguez, 49, Teresita Rapason , 62, Rudy Fernandez, 52, Alberto Khan, 63, Fernando Lopez, 64, Rogelio Fernandez, 55, Bernabe Fernandez, 69, John Mingaracal, 40, Jestoni Manangan, 29, Juanita Sibayan, 55, Ricardo Almenida, 46, Antonino Fernandez, 63, Tomas Ubaldo Jr. 43, all Freddie Madronio, 48, all residents of Villasis and all were arrested at the public market while in the act of collecting bets.
Florentino said the collectors were arrested after some policemen posed as bettors.
Policemen seized from the suspects’ possession various illegal gambling paraphernalia and jai-alai forms of Meridian Vista Gaming Corporation which is being used as front of jueteng.
Also seized from the suspects are some items used in the PCSO ‘Peryahan Hulog Holen’, ball pens and cash bets amounting to at least P8,000.
The collectors were brought to the Villasis police station for documentation and for the proper filing of charges in violation of Republic Act 9287 or the anti-illegal gambling act.
By Dexter A. See
