BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO City – As part of the intensified campaign against illegal gambling, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) officer-in-charge (OIC), Police Colonel Joeresty Coronica, banned all forms of illegal gambling during wakes.
ICPO will create a team to focus on this campaign, said ICPO spokesperson, Police Major Shella Mae Sangrines.
All six police stations were also ordered to monitor wakes in their respective districts as some are used as opportunities to hold gambling sessions.
The six police stations under the ICPO are the Iloilo City Proper Police Station (ICPS) 1 (City Proper district), ICPS-2 (La Paz), ICPS-3 (Jaro), ICPS-4 (Molo), ICPS-5 (Mandurriao), and ICPS-6 (Arevalo).
“Isa sa mga target (of the team) is ang mga organized gambling, ang sa may mga namatyan. Ang ginakadtoan sang mga promotor nga klaro nga sinugal, indi lang siling nga for the purpose of pulaw-pulaw kag lingaw-lingaw lang,” Sangrines said.
Coronica is planning to coordinate with village chiefs on the number of days allowed for wakes, among others.
“May mga suggestion ang aton OIC nga i-coordinate sa mga kapitan kon ano bala ang mangin sistema, ano kadugay pwede ihaya kag ano nga sitwasyon ang pwede sila i-consider nga magpalawig sang ila nga haya,” said Sangrines.
Coronica’s directive is in line with the Police Regional Office 6’s (PRO-6) implementation of the one-strike policy against illegal gambling.
“I am appealing to the community to help us in this endeavor. Report to the nearest police station any information on illegal gambling and I assure you that it will be treated with confidentiality. Magtulungan po tayo sa layuning masugpo ang ilegal na pasugat sa ating komunidad,” said Police Brigadier General Leo Francisco, PRO-6 director.
Data from the Police Regional Office (PRO-6) showed that from Jan. 1 to March 1, ICPO conducted eight anti-illegal gambling operations which resulted to the arrest of 30 individuals and seizure of P15,122 bet money./PN
