1,764 persons nabbed for illegal gambling

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – A total of 1,764 persons were arrested for illegal gambling in Negros Occidental last year.

Based on the data from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO), the figure in 2020 was higher than the 695 gamblers apprehended in 2019.

A total of 1,565 cases were filed in court last year, NOCPPO records showed.

The provincial police office recorded 530 operations against illegal gambling last year, while there were 255 operations conducted in 2019.

The figure showed that 79 violators were apprehended for illegal numbers game, 318 individuals arrested for violation of the Presidential Decree (PD) 1602 or prescribing stiffer penalties on illegal gambling, and 133 others for illegal cockfighting from January to December 2020.

Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, NOCPPO’s Deputy Public Information Officer, said the unemployment of some individuals due to the community quarantine brought by the pandemic prompted them to engage in illegal gambling activities.

“They had so much time to spend on gambling, and need nila money to survive,” she added.