PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. yesterday said that amid their strict No-Take Policy,’ a total of 10,094 illegal gambling personalities have been arrested by the police nationwide during the 1st 90-days of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr.

The top cop said a total of 3,663 anti-illegal gambling operations were conducted during the 90-day period by PNP units across the country leading to the arrest of the 10,094 suspects broken down into the following: 6,350 players; 2,901 bettors; 375 collectors; 71 operators; 20 maintainers; 4 checkers, 6 financiers; and 367 ushers.

Azurin said a total of P3.18 million in cash bets were recovered from the arrested suspects. A total of 2,219 cases for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 were filed against the arrested illegal gambling personalities.

The law defines illegal gambling as ‘an act that is committed by any person, who in any manner, shall directly or indirectly take part in any game scheme, regardless of whether winning thereat is dependent upon chance or skill, wherein wagers consisting of money, articles of value or representative of value are at stake or made.”

The late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., father of PBBM, prescribed penalties on gambling and betting on unauthorized horse-racing, cockfighting, jueteng and other numbers’ game, cara y cruz, pompiang and the like and other card games to combat the social menace which dissipate the energy and resource of the people.

Fines and other penalties range from P1,000 to P6,000 fine and in case of recidivism, the penalty of prision mayor in its medium period or a fine ranging from P5,000 to P10,000. The law also says that the penalty of prision correccional in its medium period or a fine ranging from P400 to P2,000 shall be imposed upon any person who shall, knowingly and without lawful purpose in any hour of any day, possess any lottery list, paper or other matter containing letters, figures, signs or symbols pertaining to or in any manner used in the games of jueteng, jai-alai or horse racing bookies, and similar games of lotteries and numbers which have taken place or about to take place.

It also says that the penalty of temporary absolute disqualifications shall be imposed upon any barangay official who, with knowledge of the existence of a gambling house or place in his jurisdiction fails to abate the same or take action in connection therewith.

PD 1602 also says something about the ‘Informer’s Reward.’ According to the same law, “any person who shall disclose information that will lead to the arrest and final conviction of the malefactor shall be rewarded twenty percent of the cash money or articles of value confiscated or forfeited in favor of the government.”

Azurin said that thru their conduct of Sychronized Enhanced Managing Police Operations otherwise known as the police ‘One-Time, Big-Time’ anti-criminality campaign, they have made the huge anti-illegal gambling arrests and seizures.

“We are maximizing our efforts to arrest all illegal activities in the country thru the active and full support of the community,” he said.

Under the PNP’s ‘one-strike policy,’ police station commanders who ignore and fail to act on illegal gambling operations in their areas will be relieved from their posts immediately once there will be a successful crackdown on those operations by the regional or provincial office.

Any gambling activity operated by agents not authorized by the government thru the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation is considered as illegal by the police force and will be subjected to appropriate actions.

The anti-illegal gambling drive is being pursued by the police from Aparri to Jolo.

The Police Regional Office 13 headed by Brigadier Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. early last September arrested 161 individuals involved in illegal gambling activities in Caraga region during a day-long simultaneous police operations.

Caramat said they seized a total of P58,636 in cash bets from the suspects who were apprehended as a result of 109 operations. Of the 109 police operations, 32 were conducted in Surigao del Sur, 21 in Agusan del Sur, 20 in Agusan del Norte, 18 in Surigao del Norte and six in the Province of Dinagat Islands, the official said.

Caramat added that the arrested suspects were involved in illegal card games, cockfighting, bookies, mahjong, cara y cruz and Peryahan ng Bayan.