ACTING on orders of Philippine National Police Officer-in-Charge, Lieutenant General Vicente D. Danao Jr., National Capital Region Police Office director, Major Gen. Felipe R. Natividad on Tuesday ordered an intensified NCRPO crackdown against all forms of illegal gambling activities in Metro Manila.

“Team NCRPO will intensify its standing policy and campaign against illegal gambling particularly the illegal number game operations. We will also strictly enforce the no-take policy from illegal gambling and other illegal sources. Commanders on the ground in violation of this order will face severe sanctions,” said Maj. Gen. Natividad.

The order was given amid intelligence reports that illegal E-Sabong or online cockfighting operations have sprouted in some parts of the country following President Duterte’s decision last May 2 to stop the highly-popular but addicting game last May 2.

The President said the P640 million monthly revenue collected from e-sabong operations is not worth the social damage caused by the gambling activity. On Tuesday, Journal Group sources said they are monitoring the presence of undergound e-sabong operations in some urban parts of the country specifically in its now closed off-betting stations.

Maj. Gen. Natividad said they are also fully complying with the order of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo M. Año to intensify the operations against illegal number games.

“This is relative to the report that some illegal gambling activities including the “Peryahan ng Bayan” is continuously running and operating. Lately, an order was also in place to crack down illegal “Online Sabong” operations after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD) announced its stoppage,” the NCRPO chief said.

Maj. Gen. Natividad said that from May 1-15, 2022, they have conducted a total of 123 anti-illegal gambling operations which led in the arrest of 370 persons and the confiscation of 107,455 gambling materials and different paraphernalia.

The arrests and seizures were made following NCPRO operations against operators of ‘video-karera,’ ‘fruit games’ and other illegal number games’ in the metropolis.

The NCRPO chief said he has reminded his Police-Community Precinct and Sub-Station commanders, the different chiefs of police and the five district to strengthen their programs and campaigns against all forms of illegal gambling and fortify the sense of responsibility of current police leaders in invigorating their efforts in addressing unlawful gambling operations with their area of responsibility.

“Upang masawata ang ganitong iligal na gawain, kailangang panatilihin natin ang ating hanay na huwag masangkot dito. Bantayan natin yung ating mga tao at palagi natin silang paalalahanan na huwag ng subukin ang anumang uri ng iligal na gawain. Gayundin kayong mga opisyal at namumuno, maging modelo tayo sa ating mga nasasakupan. Gaya ng parati kong sinasabi, magtrabaho lang tayo ng maayos at tama at laging isapuso ang disiplina,” said Maj. Gen. Natividad. By ALFRED DALIZON

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Alfred P. Dalizon