Thursday, December 04, 2008 Yanga orders arrest of all gambling lords
ZAMBOANGA City Police Director Mario Yanga has ordered all his chiefs of police to arrest all of the illegal gambling operators in the city.
Yanga issued the order following reports that there are at least 100 illegal gambling operators in Zamboanga City, specifically those behind the illegal swertres operations.
The illegal swertres based its results from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) swertres draw.
In illegal swertres, one could bet as low as P1 per number combination compared to the P10 minimum bet of the PSCO's swertres. A P1 bet could win P450 in illegal swertres.
Yanga said the anti-illegal gambling campaign will continue without let-up to ensure there will be no resumption of such illegal operations in the city.
It was learned that the operators of illegal swertres and the local numbers game known as "wahoy" have stopped their operations just after Yanga was named officer-in-charge (OIC) of the ZCPO.
Yanga, who was assigned in Zamboanga City in the previous years, has been known for his firm stance against the existence of illegal gambling in the city.
The wahoy, which has two draws daily, base its winning number on the riddle given out to bettors.
Every peso wins P30 and the number bet is from one to 37, with each number representing a kind of animal, things or signs.
Yanga, upon assuming as the OIC of the ZCPO two weeks ago, ordered the chiefs of police and personnel to intensify and strengthen the anti-illegal gambling campaign after learning the recent resurgence of illegal swertres and wahoy.
Yanga's office covers 11 police stations, one of which is based in Sacol Island. (Bong Garcia)
