THE National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO)-Bacolod closed down a drawing port and five betting stations of Peryahan ng Bayan in two cities and three municipalities in the province for operating illegally without authority to operate and violating the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
Lawyer Renoir Baldovino, Head of NBI-Bacolod said that they raided the five betting stations based on the warrants issued by the court in the towns of Murcia, Hinigaran and E.B. Magalona and in the cities of Himamaylan and Victorias and confiscated the drawing machine in the drawing port in Murcia.
The bets in the five localities are based on the results of the draws held three times daily in Murcia.
Baldovino said that the NBI has filed the case for violation of Republic Act 9287 or an Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Numbers Games on Monday, May 20, against the 36 staff of Globaltech that operate Peryahan ng Bayan in the said areas.
Cases were filed before the Provincial Prosecutor's Office for those who were apprehended in three municipalities, while those arrested in two cities at the City Municipal Trial Court. The bail for each of the 36 suspects are set at P60,000, Baldovino added.
“They are operating illegally so if they will operate again, we will close them down again,” Baldovino said.
Jose Manuel Villagracia, manager of the PCSO-Bacolod confirmed that Globaltech violated the IRR of Peryahan ng Bayan like using of betting stubs on handwritten only when it's supposed to be a machine generated tickets.
Globaltech also failed to declare their sales, he added.
“Since they are not using machine-generated tickets, PCSO cannot determine their sales and Globaltech do not remit any shares to PCSO,” Villagracia said.
He also revealed that Globaltech has been conducting draws of their own.
An employee of the PCSO should be the one to hold draws of Peryanan ng Bayan, Villagracia clarified.
“We don’t question their validity and authority after they were granted the status quo operation. However they have been violating the IRR of Peryahan,” Villagracia said.
Globaltech could not be reached for comment as of press time.
Lawyer Bernard Vitriolo, legal council of Globaltech, earlier said that they have started operating in the province after the Court of Appeals approved the company the right to operate Peryahan ng Bayan Games. They have been operating in 15 provinces he said.