BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Two village chiefs in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental denied they were involved in illegal gambling.
Atty. Renoir Baldovino, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Bacolod City, said they sent summons to Barangay 5 captain Joel Alibango and Barangay 6 captain Francz Leonard Seguiro.
NBI-Bacolod claimed having gathered enough evidence showing the two met with a gambling operator as well as several bet collectors but Alibango and Seguiro both denied this.
Baldovino added that an investigation is still ongoing, especially as another person, a former elected official, was also allegedly involved in illegal gambling.
Earlier both village officials were summoned by the NBI-Bacolod following an entrapment operation on Feb. 15, which resulted in the arrest of three bet collectors and a bettor in barangays 5, 6 and 7.
The arrested were identified as Renante Brioso, Reda Ayala, Janet Fustor, and Glen Binigay.
Baldovino said operators of illegal Small Town Lottery (STL) are using the draw results of the Super Lucky Beagler, Inc., (SLBI), the only authorized STL operator by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.
The NBI-Bacolod chief added charges have already been filed against those arrested./PN
