BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) – Bacolod City filed illegal gambling charges against three village chiefs at the Kabankalan City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday.
Atty. Renoir Baldovino, chief of the NBI-Bacolod, said the charges against Barangay Captain Noli Villarosa of Tangub here and Kabankalan City’s Barangay 5 captain Joel Alibango and Barangay 6 captain Francz Leonard Seguiro were under Republic Act 9287, which increaseds penalties for illegal numbers games, amending certain provisions of Presidential Decree 1602.
Also included in the charges was a female only identified by her alias “Mam.”
NBI-Bacolod linked the three village chiefs and Mam to illegal Small Town Lottery (STL) operations in Kabankalan City.
On Feb. 15, NBI-Bacolod carried out an entrapment operation in Kabankalan City. Three bet collectors and a bettor were arrested in barangays 5, 6 and 7 and charges were filed against them.
Baldovino said they have enough documentary and testimonial evidences against Villarosa, who denied involvement in illegal STL operations.
Villarosa believes the charges against him are politically motivated, pointing out that he plans to seek reelection in the upcoming barangay election.
Villarosa said he is against STL operations and even wants it stopped as it doesn’t pay local taxes.
The Tangub village chief added he is prepared to answer the charges against him and willing to provide testimonies to the NBI if he would be invited for questioning./PN
