Cops nab 2 suspects of illegal gambling

THE police’s campaign against illegal gambling activities in the city gets a boost with the arrest of two persons engaged in the illegal numbers game by operatives of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office Special Operations Group (CSOG).

Marcello A. Sonit, 41, a resident of Zone 4, El Salvador City in Misamis Oriental, was arrested on Monday around 7 p.m. at a parking lot in one of the establishments along Vamenta Blvd. in Barangay Carmen.

Police Senior Inspector Harvey S. Abellanosa, CSOG chief, said Sonit was caught in the act while allegedly accepting bet money from unidentified bettors.

Seized from Sonit’s possession was bet money amounting to P335 and a piece of paper used as tally sheet with numbers combination for the 9 p.m. Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Lotto draw and his blue Honda wave service motorcycle with plate number 3029-KO.

During investigation, Sonit told police that his alleged financier is a certain Vision of Iligan City.

Later around 8:15 p.m., CSOG operatives also arrested Mark Anthony S. Maestrado, 22, a resident of Block 23, Lot 4, Vamenta Subdivision in Barra Opol, Misamis Oriental.

Abellanosa said Maestrado was caught allegedly collecting the remittance from one of the ushers at NHA Subdivision in Barangay Kauswagan.

Confiscated from his possession were collection money worth P1,108 and his motorcycle used in collecting the remittance from their ushers in Capisnon, Barangay Bayabas and NHA.

Initial investigation showed that Maestrado’s alleged financiers are a certain Epoy and Alam Lim.

The two persons are now temporarily detained at the Maharlika Detention cell pending the filing of appropriate charges.