NINE illegal gamblers including three gun-toting individuals were arrested over the week following the intensified and relentless crackdown of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Cordillera.
The illegal gamblers were arrested through a search warrant issued by Judge Maria Ligaya Itliong-Rivera at Purok 1, City Camp Proper, Baguio City on May 26.
Arrested gamblers were identified as Lenie Pascual De La Cruz, 53, owner of the house, Amparo Napoles, 65; Angelita Leguan Belanio, 77; Rodolfo Bacani De La Cruz, 71; Artemio Tactaquin Abalos, 62; Encarnacion Bocasaw Baquiran, 69; Arnold Dizon Cayco, 50; Billy Manalese Razon, 59; and Brigido Bacani De La Cruz, 58, all residents of Baguio City. Items recovered were four majhong sets with seven dice, P2,490 cash, one set plastic playing cards, three majhong tables, and eight monoblock chairs.
Two gun holders were separately arrested after they failed to present pertinent documents of their firearms.
Suspect, Richard Ninobla De Vera, 30, presently residing at Red Alley Lower QM, was nabbed in the night of May 26 inside Tonicx Bar, Otek Street after he was caught in possession of five ammunitions for 12 gauge shot gun placed inside his black back pack while Danilo Madiwo Liwliwa, 35, carpenter and a resident of Ba-ang, Hungduan, Ifugao, was arrested in the following afternoon after discharging his firearm in one of his residences in Danggo, Tinoc, Ifugao.
He tried to evade arrest using a hired motorcycle however, he was stopped in a checkpoint along Poblacion, Tinoc, Ifugao. Seized from his possession is one caliber .38 loaded with six ammunitions and another three ammunitions for cal. 38 inside his sling bag.
Ramir Danga-ap Ruperto was also arrested after the police seized assorted ammunition in his residence in Barangay Catacdegan Nuevo, Manabo, Abra in the early morning of May 24. The implementation of a search warrant issued by Judge Raphiel Alzate resulted in the seizure of 11 assorted ammunition for Caliber .45; Caliber .357; Caliber .22; and Caliber 9mm.
PRO-Cordillera director Elmo Francis Sarona ordered police units to sustain this momentum of vigorously going after illegal drugs and gambling operations not only in the urban area but also in the countryside.
“We must continue to hit hard on all operators and groups behind illegal activities in support of the national anti-illegal gambling and Illegal firearms campaign,” he added. (PR)