By EUGENE ADIONG
MURCIA, Negros Occidental — A municipal councilor allegedly behind illegal gambling operations in this town denied being an active operator and financier.
Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member Ruel Villarosa admitted to operating gambling activities before he won as a local legislator.
“When I won, I was told by Mayor Andrew Montelibano to stop, so I stopped,” Villarosa said.
Villarosa’s link to gambling came to the fore following a radio report on the SB member’s alleged operation of jai-alai, an illegal numbers game, here.
A report on BomboRadyo.com quoted an unidentified resident of Brgy. Zone 2 Poblacion as saying that Villarosa was operating and financing jai-alai.
The report said the resident told Bombo Radyo that Villarosa has been known as an illegal gambling operator and financier even before he ran for SB member.
Many bet collectors, locally known as koridor, in all 23 barangays here were working for him, the report said, quoting its source.
Senior Insp. Norberto Barneso, municipal police chief, had also said they have received similar information about a certain SB member.
Barneso, however, stressed that no one can be accused of anything, much less arrested, “unless there is solid evidence.” He did not identify Villarosa.
Villarosa stressed that he has cut his ties to gambling the moment he sat in public office.
“What I know is there are gambling financiers operating in Murcia,” the SB member said without naming names. “There are three major (gambling) financiers (here), and all of them are from Bacolod (City).”
He said the recent spread of information about his link to gambling puzzles him.
Asked if he suspects anyone is behind this, Villarosa said he “doesn’t know and I don’t give it any attention because it is not true.”
Montelibano confirmed that Villarosa had stopped operating gambling activities./PN
