Anti-jueteng drive upped in Cordillera; 12 nabbed

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – Twelve illegal gambling operators and gamblers were arrested in the provinces of Kalinga and Mountain Province playing illegal number games last week.

 In Kalinga, jueteng bet collectors were arrested identified as: Dick Alvis Lumibao, 47, of Lipa City, Batangas; Marlon Titolar Lozada, 52, of Poblacion Lubo, Batangas; Conrado Masadja Bautista, 59, of Manaoag, Pangasinan; Warren Virtucio Escalona, 33,of San Jose, Batangas; Alvin Balmaceda Oliver, 26, of Bicol, Camarines Sur; and Allan Ocampo Titolar, 52, of Diversion, Batangas, all of Purok 2, Bulanao Norte, Tabuk City, Kalinga were arrested in the act collecting jueteng bets at the compound of barangay captain Bernard Glenn Dao-as in Appas, Tabuk City on July 17.

Confiscated items were bet money amounting to P15,262, four calculators, seven cell phones, bundles of raffle (papelitors) paper and other jueteng paraphernalia. 

On July 18, another gambler was arrested after a concerned citizen informed the police that illegal gambling was being done in a residential house at Poblacion, Bontoc Mt. Province.

A suspect identified as Jomar Buned Wanawan, 30, laborer, of Anabel, Sadanga, Mt. Province was nabbed while his cohort evaded arrest.

Seized items were bet money amounting to P7,260 and one set of playing cards.

In another operation, five gamblers were caught playing mahjong inside the door less Tinagtago Restaurant in Sagada Mt. Province on July 20.

Arrested suspected gamblers were Michael Apil Magalgalit, 39; Miguel Pednga Salvador, 48 and Jimmy Glenn Ban-eg Andawi, 41, all of Barangay Ambasing; Epifanio Agpad Dao-as, 58, of Barangay Patay  and Adonis Agamosal Bicalan, 48, of Banguitan Besao town.

Confiscated items were gambling bets amounting to P500.00, mahjong dice among other gambling items.

All arrested individuals and seized items are now under the custody of concerned police units while violation of Presidential Decree 1602 (illegal gambling) were filed against them in court.

Regional police director Chief Supt. Supt Rolando Nana said Cordillera police will continue with their intensified operations against illegal gambling.” We will not stop until we rid the provinces of illegal gambling operations, including financiers and other involved personalities," he said.