SAP and 4Ps beneficiaries, 5 others nabbed for gambling

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Seven persons, including two beneficiaries of the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP) and 4Ps program, were arrested for alleged illegal gambling at Zone-5, Barangay Concepcion, Talisay City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Bacolod collared the suspects aged 30 to 66 years old following complaints from a concerned citizen.

The suspects were accused of gambling and drunkenness which disturbed their neighbours, especially at night.

One of them was a SAP beneficiary while another was a recipient of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

A P6,000 SAP allowance from the national government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is given to qualified households to aid families affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The 4Ps is the conditional cash transfer program of the government for the poorest of the poor.

Police Chief Master Sergeant Ramiro Gocotano, officer-in-charge of CIDG-Bacolod, said that the suspects were allegedly caught playing an illegal card game locally known as “Monte.”

Police seized from the group a set of playing cards, ballpen, and P1,372 cash.

Gocotano said that the suspects also allegedly violated Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act for their non-cooperation amid the global health crisis.