• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The conduct of anti-illegal gambling campaign in Negros Occidental appears to have been slowing down as indicated by the lesser number of operations initiated and arrested suspects this year compared to 2024.
The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) reported the arrest of 465 persons engaged in illegal gambling, including illegal collectors of Small Town Lottery (STL) also known as “bookies” from January 1 to May 15 this year.
Also recovered were P77,495 in gambling bets as a result of 152 operations they had conducted.
In the same period last year, NOCPPO conducted 322 anti-illegal gambling operations, which led to the arrest of 1,097 suspects, and confiscated P308,584 in cash bets.
With this development, PBrig. Arnold Thomas Ibay, police regional director of Negros Island Region, earlier ordered police commanders to further intensify the campaign against all forms of illegal activities, including illegal gambling.
“They should not only concentrate on their main function in crime prevention and solution, but in fighting all types of illegal activities,” Ibay said.
The 465 arrested gambling violators have been charged with violation of Republic Act 9287, which increases penalties for illegal numbers games in the country. | GB
