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Covenant
forged vs. illegal
gambling
A
covenant against illegal gambling was signed
last week by sectoral representatives and law
enforcement officials even as "lotteng"
resurfaced anew in the capital town of Virac.
Forged
at the conclusion of a one-day summit at the PNP
provincial office last Friday (Feb. 23), the
covenant binds representatives of the religious,
the academe, municipal and provincial
governments, the barangays, policemen, the
media, the prosecution service, and the
Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) to join in the drive against the evils
wrought by illegal gambling.
Before
a panel composed of PNP provincial director
Supt. Freddie O. Panen, Bishop Manolo A. delos
Santos, Asst. Provincial Prosecutor Abelardo
Aquino, and PBM Edwin Tanael, the sectoral
representatives identified poverty, unemployment
and the lucrative nature of illegal gambling as
the main causes of the vice.
They
suggested possible solutions such as the arrest
of all those involved, including financiers or
operators; the filing of appropriate court cases
without negotiations; relief of all police
officers and personnel who fail to stamp out
illegal gambling in their jurisdictions;
strengthened campaign by the religious and
education sectors to educate people on the evils
of gambling; and, the strengthening of existing
laws by increasing penalties and removing
loopholes.
One
participant expressed disappointment that the
summit limited itself to PBA "ending"
and "lotteng" as, he said,
"tong-its" and mahjjong are as
pernicious and prevalent as the numbers games,
particularly in the barangays.
The
summit was held even as alleged "lotteng"
operator Natalio Popa, Jr., who is reportedly
running for a seat at the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan, reportedly resumed operations in
Virac. Sources say the bet collectors claimed
they ceased operation only for two days after
Popa went to Camp Camacho to visit Col. Panen,
who reportedly got Popa's assurance that he will
stop "lotteng,"The PNP itself found
proof of the numbers game's resurgence as they
arrested one bet collector redhanded right
inside the provincial capitol the afternoon
after the summit.
A
team composed of SPO1 Roger Masagca, PO2
Whelming Escaro and PO1 Arlan Sevilla handcuffed
Salvador Talan y Vargas, 64, married and a
resident of Rawis, after he was caught in the
act of soliciting bets for "lotteng"
and PBA "ending" at the second floor
of the provincial capitol at 3:30 P.M. Talan
yielded P980 in cash, "ending" and
"lotteng" cards.
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