SEVENTY-TWO men were arrested for their alleged participation in an illegal volleyball game in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City on Friday afternoon, March 6, 2020.
The anti-illegal gambling operation was made through the joint effort of the Regional Intelligence Division 7, the Cebu City Intelligence Branch and the Carbon Police Station of the Cebu City Police Office.
Capt. Romeo Caacoy Jr., the operation’s team leader, confirmed that illegal activities were conducted on a vacant lot in the barangay.
Caacoy said the area has been notorious for gathering crowds because of a game locally known as “dayon-dayon.”
The game is reportedly patterned after the volleyball sport.
But instead of having six members per team, dayon-dayon only has three players for each group.
Apart from a referee, there is a “masyador” (bet caller) and bettors during the game.
Investigation showed that the masyador is the one who calls the shots since he decides when the game starts and he also gathers the bets placed by spectators.
“There’s nothing wrong with playing a game of volleyball, but if you add gambling into the mix, it becomes illegal,” Caacoy told SunStar Superbalita Cebuano.
Operatives confiscated the volleyball equipment and around P27,000 worth of wagered money from the masyador.
The anti-illegal gambling operation was launched after authorities received reports from residents in the area.
“We’ve conducted surveillance and monitoring. We sent out personnel to go undercover by participating and acting as bettors. This led to the arrest of the illegal gamblers,” Caacoy said.
Among those who fell in the operation was Alvin (not his real name), a resident of Barangay Mambaling.
“I placed a bet of P100, but I didn’t intend to stay since I was heading to Barangay Pasil to eat. Unfortunately, I was also arrested,” he said in Cebuano.
Those who were arrested will be facing charges for violating Presidential Decree 1602, which prescribes stiffer penalties on illegal gambling. (BBT, RTF)