The Antique Police Provincial Office (APPO) has filed cases against three bet collectors of the illegal numbers game known here as “Peryahan ng Bayan” who were apprehended in July.
The bet collectors from the municipalities of Caluya, San Jose de Buenavista, and Sibalom were charged with violation of Republic Act 9287 or An Act Increasing The Penalties for Illegal Numbers Games, Staff Sgt. John Mark Gonzaga, information officer of APPO, said in an interview on Friday.
Gonzaga said APPO Director, Col. Roy Parena, reiterated his order this week for the 18 municipal police stations in the province to apprehend those behind illegal gambling.
in a separate interview, Provincial Board Member Karmila Rose Dimamay said the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) should take the lead in coordinating with the local police to stop the illegal numbers game.
“The PCSO should take the lead in the operation against the ‘Peryahan ng Bayan’ since it is under their jurisdiction,” Dimamay said.
She noted that the provincial board passed a resolution on April 15, 2021 calling for the APPO and the Criminal Investigation Detection Group to stop the “Peryahan ng Bayan”, yet it has continued.
Dimamay said she has information that the game of chance is already using the online platform to entice more Antiqueños to try their luck.
Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao has received a death threat after her directive to the local police to stop its operation after the PCSO sought her help in July.
The “Peryahan ng Bayan” is similar to the small-town lottery with bet collectors going around and winning numbers are drawn. The bet ranges from PHP5 to PHP20.
Cadiao expressed concern that because of the illegal game, which has been on a guerilla type of operation for almost three months, poor Antiqueños who could barely make ends meet would be enticed to spend their last money.
Source: Philippines News Agency