SIXTEEN persons accused of running and maintaining an illegal online raffle on FB have been arrested by authorities in Biñan City, Laguna, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) said on Sunday.

Members of the PNP-ACG and the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation caught the suspects livestreaming the 50th raffle event of the FB Page Lucky Dream 4 in Biñan City following days of surveillance, said PNP-ACG director Brigadier General Ronnie Francis M. Cariaga.

The Lucky Dream 4 office was raided on a search warrant issued by a court last April 30.

Members of the Police Regional Office 4-A Regional Mobile Force Battalion assisted the PNP-ACG and PAGCOR officers during the raid.

Arrested were 16 persons led by a certain Brayan. All of them are now facing charges for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 or the anti-illegal gambling law as amended by Republic Act 9287 in connection with Section 6 of RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Madriaga warned operators of illegal online gambling that their actions are punishable by law.

With over 111,000 followers, Lucky Dream 4 was conducting live online raffle games and offering second-hand modified motorcycles as prizes.

The company is believed to be earning P1.8 million per raffle as it sells around 50,000 tickets for P40 each.

Majority of their followers belong to the youth age group, the police said.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon