Man nabbed for collecting bets for NBA game

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A 68-year-old man was arrested after he was caught collecting bets for Friday’s NBA game.

Members of Estancia Police Station arrested Rub Rico, 68, a resident of Barangay Poblacion Zone 3, Estancia, Iloilo

Corporals Roland Gibaga and Jay Alvarez caught the suspect while doing intelligence monitoring and surveillance in the area.

Police reports said that Rico was caught “consolidating/game-fixing for NBA Basketball games Phoenix Suns vs Lakers and Denver Nuggets vs Portland.”

Staff Sergeant Jayson Entarcigo, the investigator on case, said the suspect facilitated the placing of bets during the NBA games, thus constituting “game fixing.”

Rico also took bets on the players who will make the highest score.

Recovered from his position was a bond paper containing the bettors’ names and their bets.

It can be noted that Philippine laws allow sports wagering through authorized channels.

Residents can wager on Philippine basketball through both domestic and offshore means, i.e. through legal offshore online Philippine sports books.

However, placing of bets between persons or taking bets from individuals is illegal.

Entarcigo said they have filed a case for violation of Section 1, para 1 of Presidential Decree 1602 against Rico.