ICPO steps up drive vs all forms of illegal gambling
The Iloilo City Police Office is pursuing relentlessly all forms of illegal gambling, said Senior Supt. Dennis Basngi, city police director.
Although jueteng is deemed non-existent in Iloilo City, Basngi said they would not spare games like cara y cruz or “tumbo,” video karera, “daily double,” “lotteng,” and “basketball ending.”
The series of recent arrests is just the start of a heightened campaign to curb illegal gambling activities in Iloilo City, he said.
“(We hope) the people will continue to support us by giving us information,” he said.
Basngi said part of ICPO’s campaign is to get the protectors of illegal gambling, who are members of the police force.
Information revealed that some policemen are protectors of video karera operations, but Basngi said such “protection racket is a no-no under his command.”
“I’m warning our colleagues in the police force to stop (their involvement in these illegal activities,” he said.
Last Monday, Basngi, together with Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and City Administrator Norlito Bautista, led the destruction of 18 seized video karera machines.
During the program, Mabilog awarded the ICPO with a Mayor’s Citation for its accomplishment against illegal gambling that led to the confiscation of the betting machines.
“We will be supportive of them. What’s important is we could provide support on what they need because sometimes our policemen tolerate this because of lack of support from the city government,” the mayor said.*
