LAWMEN have arrested an alleged gambling operator in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, the police reported Monday, August 20.

Chief Inspector Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula information officer, identified the arrested suspect as Mark Ledesma, a resident of Moalboal village, Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Galvez said Ledesma was arrested by joint police and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in an anti-gambling operation around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, August 19, at Purok 2 in the village of Lower Tungawan, Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Galvez said Ledesma was caught in the act of engaging in illegal gambling activity locally known as "bulitse."

Confiscated from the suspect were one bulitse table, one bamboo pusher, one plastic gallon container with 48 pieces of bulitse cards, and P850 bet money in different denominations.

Galvez said Ledesma and the confiscated items were brought to CIDG Provincial Field Office in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, for proper disposition. (SunStar Philippines)