THE illegal gambling campaign led by the Police Regional Office (PRO) in Central Visayas has resulted in more congestion inside the detention cell of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) after 254 people were arrested in 181 police operations from Feb. 24-26, 2020.

The CCPO detention facility was built to hold only 100 male and 50 female prisoners.

CCPO officer-in-charge P/Col. Engelbert Soriano said aside from the jampacked CCPO detention areas, other police stations reported that their small holding cells were also getting crowded after Soriano ordered them to conduct their own illegal gambling operations.

Vowing that police will play no favorites, Soriano said they will shut down any illegal gambling operations including unlicensed small-town lottery (STL) joints.

However, Soriano said he still had to seek guidance from PRO 7 Director Police Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro regarding an STL operator in Cebu City who was able to present documents that the firm could operate.

Soriano did not name the STL firm but said the company’s STL outlets were earlier raided by police.

A lawyer representing the company met Soriano and showed a court order stating that the firm was a legal entity.

Soriano said they will not raid the firm’s STL outlets if Ferro would order him not to include the firm.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has yet to allow the small town lottery operator to renew operations in Cebu City due to its huge debt to the agency, which had yet to be paid. (AYB / RSR)