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[av_heading heading=’ Who’s protecting ‘bookies’ in Iloilo? ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Sunday , September 10, 2017
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ILOILO City – Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Domingo Oso (4th District) said he has received a list of suspected financiers and protectors of the illegal numbers game “bookies” in Iloilo province.
Oso handed the list to Senior Superintendent Marlon Tayaba, Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director.
“Days prior to our Sept. 5 (Provincial Board) session, I received a machine copy of the list from a concerned citizen,” Oso said.
He presented the list during the session but did not call out the names in it.
“Wala ko ya ginmensyonar ang mga ngalan kay bal-an ko nga confidential,” he said. “Ginhatag ko ang papel kay Colonel Tayaba.”
Tayaba was summoned to attend the session to shed light on the supposed “gambling-free” status of the province.
Oso believes Tayaba is the person in authority who should be responsible for verifying the information in the list.
The Provincial Board member denied knowing the concerned citizen who sent him the list.
“I do not know kon ano ang purpose sang naghatag sa akon,” he stressed. “As a lawyer and a Board member, my responsibility is to give [the list] to a responsible [person in] authority.”
Tayaba said they were still looking into the list.
During the session, Tayaba clarified that Iloilo is not yet completely free from illegal gambling.
The province’s “gambling-free” status lasted only from July 27 until the last week of August, he explained.
Bookies financiers are back in business, said Tayaba.
He said the IPPO has detected a “little resurgence” of illegal gambling activities in the municipalities of Balasan, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, and Lambunao, and the component city of Passi.
“I have instructed my police chiefs to continue the massive campaign against illegal gambling,” said Tayaba.
The provincial police director identified three illegal gambling groups operating in Iloilo – the Adelantar group based in Janiuay, the Hautea group based in Barotac Nuevo and the Peling group.
“Muslim groups” from Manila are also financing illegal gambling in Iloilo, Oso said. “We have the names of the groups but we have to withhold these pending validation.”
Tayaba confirmed that the IPPO had similar “raw” information and that these groups were reportedly operating in northern Iloilo in tandem with local illegal gambling operators./PN
(front pic caption) — pic and caption should come with the ff story
BUSTED. Trisikad driver Mark Ryan Aristoza (right) and friend Caesar Ian Flores cover their faces while at the holding area of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 6 on Saturday, Sept. 9. Antidrug agents arrested them for allegedly selling shabu. IAN PAUL CORDERO/PN
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