TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines– Police Regional Office 02 (PRO 2) Regional Director Police Chief Superintendent Robert Quenery has given a one-week ultimatum for police directors to strengthen their fight against illegal gambling in in the region.
This comes after Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ronad “Bato” Dela Rosa on Monday, July 31, gave a 15-day deadline to regional directors to end illegal gambling, especially jueteng.
He also warned regional directors that he will relieve them if they fail to stop illegal gambling operations in their areas. PRO2 noted that regional directors were allowed to do the same to provincial and city directors.
In PRO2’s press release on Thursday, August 3, Quenery said, “We are only given 15 days by the National Headquarters, so I am giving you one week ultimatum to work hard on illegal gambling operators all over the region to totally put an end to this kind of illegal activities.”
“On the fifth day from now, I want a positive result especially in Santiago City,” added Quenery in a meeting with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Wednesday, August 2, 2017.
On April 2017, authorities conducted a series of raids on gambling dens of Atong Ang’s Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. (MVGC) in Tuguegarao City and four other towns, which had resulted in the relief of city police chief Superintendent Virgilio Con Abillera Jr., Lal-lo Chief Inspector Edgar Unista, and Lasam Chief Inspector Engelbert Bunagan.
In Quenery’s meeting, PCSO presented the official Authorized Agent Corporations (AAC) operating in Cagayan Valley. They are Charity Games of Chance Corporation in Cagayan, Sahara Games and Amusement Phil Corporation in Isabela, King 810 Gaming Corporation in Nueva Vizcaya, and Fair Ways Management and Gaming Corporation in Santiago City.
PCSO also discussed with PRO2 the scope of the Regulation on the Licensing of Gambling and Online Gaming Facilities and showed the list of AACs’ legitimate employees.
Recently, new Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) administrator and chief executive officer Raul Lambino admitted that 80% of the company’s income for recent years came from “illegal” gaming operations.
Lambino said in a press conference on Tuesday, August 2, that these revenues came from online and offshore gaming licencees operating beyond CEZA’s jurisdiction, particularly in Santa Ana, Cagayan.
He, however, expressed his support to Duterte’s Executive Order (EO) No. 13 that strengthens the fight against illegal gambling and noted that CEZA was under the EO’s jurisdiction. Northernforum.net
