By Rey Anthony H. Chiu
BOHOL, Feb 26 (PIA) – The Police in
Central Visayas has declared a ‘no-nonsense’ drive against illegal gambling in
towns and cities of the region.
In a Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC-7) meeting held at the Bohol
Tropics recently, the Bohol Provincial Police Office declared 33 of the 47
towns of Bohol as cleared against “swertres,” an illegal number game that has
become a vice among the town folks.
In its saturation drive against illegal gambling in the province, the Police
Regional Office (PRO-7) said the BPPO is now focusing on the remaining 14 towns
and in Tagbilaran City to ensure that these areas are illegal gambling-free.
During the Bohol police reported that it would now focus their attention to
three clusters that comprise the following areas: 1)Tagbilaran City and the
towns of Dauis; Panglao and Antequera; 2) Loboc; Bilar; Batuan; Carmen;
Sagbayan; Clarin; Inabanga and Guindulman and 3) Alicia; Ubay; Trinidad;
Talibon and Getafe.
According to the Police reports during the council meeting, operatives
continues to monitor 14 financiers of illegal gambling operations in 15 areas
in Bohol.
The report added that illegal gambling operations in the province started with
22 game financiers, which dwindled in a few months due to police’s aggressive
campaign against illegal gambling.
PRO 7 Regional Director C/Supt. Marcelo Garbo Jr. said the ‘one strike policy’
still remains which has caused the heads of two provincial directors, city
police chiefs and police intelligence operatives.
According to PRO-7 reports, in Central Visayas, Cebu attained the highest
success rate in the drive against illegal gambling with only three remaining
areas affected identified as the cities of Talisay and Toledo and the town of
Santander.
Packets of illegal gambling activities are however noted in five barangays of
Mandaue City and three barangays of Lapu-lapu City, the RPOC report bared.
Garbo said the provinces of Negros Oriental and Siquijor are also saddled with
the social menace as he stressed the seriousness of the illegal gambling
problem.
It may be recalled that the RPOC earlier unanimously passed a resolution
supporting the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG)
anti-illegal gambling drive, which also triggered the start of no-nonsense
anti-gambling operations. (mbcn/FC R/RAHC/PIA Bohol)