- GILBERT BAYORAN
The National Bureau of Investigation is conducting a probe on the alleged links of a former elected government official and two incumbent barangay captains in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, to illegal gambling.
NBI-Bacolod chief, Atty. Renoir Baldovino, said Tuesday, Feb. 20, that they have already issued subpoenas to Joel Alibango and Franz Leonard Seguiro, chairpersons of barangays 5 and 6 in Kabankalan City, and two operators of illegal gambling, whom he identified through their aliases, as “Ma’am” and JR Basinello.
Based on the affidavits issued by arrested bet solicitors Renante Berioso and Rida Ayala, Baldovino said the two suspects confessed of having remitted their bet collections to “Ma’am” and JR Basinello.
The NBI operatives also nabbed two other gambling bet solicitors in Kabankalan, identified as Janet Postur and Glen Benigay.
Baldovino said it appears in their investigations that the two barangay captains held a meeting in a barangay hall with bet solicitors, who were allowed to collect gambling bets in their respective barangays, in the presence of “Ma’am” and JR Basinello.
The NBI chief, however, withheld the identity of a former elected official, who according to their investigation, gathered almost all barangay captains in Kabankalan City and told them that the authority of Super Lucky Beagler Inc. (SLBI) to operate the Small Town Lottery (STL) is about to expire.
“We have the identity, but we need more proof, before identifying the former elected official,” Baldovino said.
Based on documents issued by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Baldovino clarified that the authority to operate STL by SLBI has already expired.
If others claim that they are also allowed to operate STL, they are illegal, he said, stressing that SLBI is the sole firm authorized by PCSO to operate such betting game.
The two barangay captains of Kabankalan City are expected to appear at the NBI-Bacolod Office on Feb. 22 and 23.
Also charged for violation of Republic Act 9287, or illegal gambling, were Jonalyn Repique, Lovella Vallejera, Euinice Venus, and Phemirose Garcia, who were arrested by the Kabankalan City Police Station./GB
