THE Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao Region recorded almost 1,000 persons arrested during their intensified campaign against illegal gambling with 289 cases filed before the court from January 1 to October 31 this year.
Based on the operational accomplishments reported by the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division (RIDMD) of PRO 11, Camp Quintin Mericido, Catitipan, Davao City in a command conference on November 8, it showed that region-wide, all the police units under PRO have conducted 525 operations and nabbed a total of 918 persons involved in illegal gambling activities.
There are also about P255,740 bet money confiscated from the arrested individuals.
Of this figures, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) posted the highest number of operations conducted at 297 with the arrest of 550 individuals, confiscation of P143,532 and 289 cases filed against the suspects.
In Davao del Norte, they have undertaken 131 operations in their area of responsibility, 225 arrested, P48,839 bet money recovered and 121 cases filed while in Davao del Sur, they have 34 operations conducted, 43 arrested personalities, P36,237 confiscated and 32 cases against suspects.
Davao Occidental, meanwhile, has launched 14 anti-gambling operations with 15 arrested personalities with P4,630 bet money seized and 12 cases filed.
There were also 20 operations conducted in Davao Oriental and authorities apprehended 29 persons, confiscated P9,592 and 19 charges filed. In Compostela Valley, they have 29 operations, 56 arrested, P12,910 confiscated and 22 charges filed.
Last Two remains on top of illegal gambling activities that also include illegal card games, hantak, electronic gambling games, mahjong, illegal bingo and cockfight nine, among others.
In February this year, DCPO formed the Anti-Illegal Gambling Task Force geared to strengthen operation against persons involved in illegal gambling after the war on drugs was taken out of this hands and shifted in running after any form of illegal gambling.
In an interview earlier with PRO regional director Police Chief Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan, he sacked Senior Superintendent Mariano Mahistrado as director of Davao del Norte Provincial Police Office (DNPPO) because of his poor performance in the anti-illegal campaign.
Last July, Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa ordered all regional directors to intensify operations against illegal gambling with an ultimatum that if they could not stop illegal gambling within 15 days in their area, they will be relieved from their post or transferred.