Cops arrest illegal number game collector

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANGATAREM – Joint police operatives from the regional and provincial offices and this town have seized gambling paraphernalia and bet monies that led to the arrest of a resident of Barangay Dorongan Sawat here.

In a police spot report sent to this newspaper, Roderick Ritero Mondala was found to have in his possession a red Rusi motorcycle without plate, papelitos; Samsung with keypad cellular phone and Php 1,220.00 bet monies in different denominations.

Mondala, according to the report, was detained at the police station as authorities prepared to file a criminal case through violation of Presidential Decree 1602 as amended by Republic Act 9287 or Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Number Games, Others.

Some of the punishments in Section 3 of RA 9287 are the following:

 a) The penalty of imprisonment from thirty (30) days to ninety (90) days, if such person acts as a bettor;

b) The penalty of imprisonment from six (6) years and one (1) day to eight (8) years, if such person acts as a personnel or staff of an illegal numbers game operation; The same penalty shall likewise be imposed to any person who allows his vehicle, house, building or land to be used in the operation of the illegal numbers games.

c) The penalty of imprisonment from eight (8) years and one (1) day to ten (10) years, if such person acts as a collector or agent;

d) The penalty of imprisonment from ten (10) years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years, if such person acts as a coordinator, controller or supervisor.

In January this year, Region- 1 Police Regional Director Chief Superintendent Romulo E. Sapitula through a memorandum ordered the police provincial director of Pangasinan to assist the Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office-Small Town Lottery (PCSO-STL) Authorized Agent Corporation (AAC) Speed Game, Incorporated (SGI) against the proliferation of illegal numbers game’s outfits.

Early this year some officials of the police force and the National Bureau of Investigation were sacked in their post and reassigned somewhere because of their nonfeasance on the presence of these outfits.