CEBU CITY -- Operatives of the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) were reportedly blocked after confiscating illegal gambling paraphernalia at the back of the Compostela Public Market Thursday afternoon.

Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Jesus Gaquing said he is waiting for the official report from the PIB to find out if Gilbert Wagas, brother and political consultant of Compostela Mayor Ritchie Wagas, intervened and tried to stop them from carrying out their operation.

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He is also placing the Compostela Police Station under investigation for failing to stop the illegal gambling activities behind the market, just a few meters away from the police station.

Sun.Star Cebu tried several times to reach Compostela Police Chief Milo Dagasdas for comment, but he was unavailable for interview.

Reports surfaced that Gilbert berated policemen while a multicab blocked a small alley to keep the operatives from leaving the area with the tables and other evidence they confiscated from the gamblers.

Gilbert, when sought for reaction, denied he prevented authorities from conducting their operations on illegal gambling, locally known as hantak.

Also, Wagas challenged his accusers to present a formal complaint that he intervened in the operations of PIB operatives.

Wagas admitted that illegal gambling activities happen in their municipality but said it is common in other towns, especially during fiesta celebrations.

He also believes that the accusation hurled against him was "purely politically motivated."

He said he had been campaigning actively against illegal gambling even during his stint as mayor of Compostela.

But operatives of the PIB also declined to comment on what happened when asked by reporters Friday.

The official report on the operation stated that the operatives composed of Police Officer (PO) 3 Reynaldo Solante, PO2 Zuesito Veloso, PO2 Tiburcio Heramil, PO1 Jethro Puao and PO1 Roderick Balili responded to tip that the illegal gambling game called hantak was being played in the open at the back of the public market.

The team had gone to Danao City to file a case against a person they had arrested days earlier for illegal drugs. On the way back to Cebu City, they were informed of the illegal gambling activities behind the market.

An informant placed a call to the PIB office in Cebu City, prompting one of the personnel to inform the team in Danao City about the tip.

When they arrived, the gamblers allegedly scampered in different directions.

Rather than go home empty-handed, the operatives confiscated the gambling paraphernalia, including nine betting tables and P1,360 cash.

But as they pulled out of the area, their vehicle could not move because a multicab reportedly blocked their way.

They believe it was intentionally parked to keep them from leaving.

A team from the Special Reaction Unit was sent to Compostela to aid the trapped operatives.

However, during the confrontation, the multicab driver who was not identified in the report claimed he only got scared and left the vehicle where it was but took the keys to the ignition with him.

Gaquing said the SRU was sent to "pacify" the situation. He admitted he did not have complete details of the incident because he was traveling from Camotes Island to Cebu mainland at the time of the incident.

He has directed PIB Chief Rodolfo Albotra to submit a full report on the incident to find out if Wagas was involved in the incident.

Initially, Albotra told Sun.Star Cebu Thursday night that there was just a misunderstanding and could not confirm if Wagas was part of it. He said he left it to Compostela Police Chief Milo Dagasdas to handle the incident.

Gaquing also denied politics led his operatives to conduct the raid.

"As far as I'm concerned, wala man. We are apolitical. The bottomline is, there was an illegal activity, so we implemented the law," Gaquing told reporters.

He also clarified that they did not need to ask permission from the local government of Compostela to conduct operations there.

They also did not have to seek permission from the local police station.

"Mupahibawo ra ta, dili mananghid. Kay ug muingon ka nga mananghid, mura man ug dili ka maka-operate ug dili sila musugot (We only inform them, not ask permission)," he explained.

Gaquing also cited a provision of the Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998 that stated, "The control and supervision of anti-gambling operation shall be within the jurisdiction of local government executives."

He assured that the CPPO is "determined" to go after illegal gambling operations. (MEA/with GMD/Sun.Star Cebu)