PNP team from Recom-7 Cebu conducts raid
Half million pesos seized at captain's house
Mayor to provide lawyer to swertres financier
Barangay Captain, Blanco post bail
BIGGEST
HAUL. Mansasa Barangay Captain Manolo "Taran" Blanco, 50 (with eyeglasses)
caught with bundles of cash amounting to P586,715 during an early morning raid
at his residence last Friday conducted by elements of the Regional Intelligence
Division led by P/SSupt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe. Right photo shows the sack load
of cash carried by operatives to be presented as evidence against the suspect.
| | Amid
public criticism for its failure to catch the "big fish" in the intensified
campaign against the illegal numbers game swertres, regional police operatives
arrested Friday a city barangay captain identified as a "big time" financier
operating all over the province.
A
joint team from the intelligence branch of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7)
and the Bohol PNP seized cash amounting P586,715 and various paraphernalia used
in the illegal swertres. |
Arrested
inside his residence was Barangay Captain Manolo Blanco, alias Taran, 50, of barangay
Mansasa, this city.
A
certain, Arnel Pablo, 32, of Matig-a Street this city was also nabbed at Blanco's
residence. He is one of the coordinators who had in his possession swertres tip
sheets and tally sheets.
Blanco
is said to be the biggest financier of the illegal numbers game in the province
operating through networks in several towns with well structured coordinators
particularly operating in the city.
He
has been spared from recent arrests as police records showed that those "small
fries" arrested are coming from the towns.
Past
7 in the morning Friday, elements of the PNP Regional Intelligence Division (RID-7)
led by S/Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe and selected operatives of the Bohol Police
Provincial Office (BPPO) led by S/Supt. Edgardo Ingking conducted the raid at
the residence of Blanco in barangay Mansasa which is said to be one of the major
headquarters of the illegal swertres operations.
| | | By
virtue of a search warrant issued by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Judge Sylvia
Aguirre Paderanga, the raiding team cornered Blanco confiscating the cash in different
denominations believed to be proceeds from bets and the gambling paraphernalia.
In
an interview with the Chronicle, SSupt. Buenafe bared they have been sending surveillance
teams here since they received reports on Blanco's illegal gambling operations.
"After
our agents verified and found the reports positive, hence, we planned out the
raid," Buenafe said. | According
to Buenafe, informants told them that Blanco have been operating for several years
now not only in his barangay but almost covering the entire province of Bohol.
Earlier
that day, two members of the raiding team intercepted one Arnel Pablo, who confessed
to be an "usher" for Blanco, along V.P. Inting Street, this city.
Pablo
was on his way to the residence of Blanco when the police operatives cornered
him. Seized from his possession were cash believed to be proceeds from bets and
a swertres tip sheet. The
raid is considered to be the biggest success so far for PRO-7 after Regional Director
C/Supt. Federico Terte ordered a region-wide crackdown against swertres.
Terte
has warned provincial commanders and station chiefs that he will not settle for
mere reporting but wants to see concrete results that would lead to the arrest
of swertres financiers and coordinators not just "runners and ushers".
In
fact, the regional commander has adopted the "one strike policy" and
threatening to relieve provincial directors and station commanders if they fail
to eradicate the illegal numbers game in their areas of responsibility.
Blanco
and the seized items that included betting sheets, tip sheets and tally sheets
| |  RUNNER
Arnel Pablo, 32, swertres runner was caught at Blanco's residence during the
raid while photo shows the huge loot of cash amounting to more than half a million
pesos. |
were
immediately brought to Cebu City since the warrant issued originated from the
Cebu City RTC. It
was learned as of presstime that Blanco was able to post bail amounting P40,000
for his temporary release.
LAWYER
FROM CITY MAYOR
"I
will not abandon a friend," (referring to barangay captain Blanco), the city
mayor said during his weekly radio program yesterday.
"I
will provide him (Blanco) the best lawyer," the mayor stressed while he said
that he can not stop the illegal numbers game if the national lotto will continue.
The
friendship of the city mayor and Blanco was re-affirmed by the mayor himself who
admitted that he positioned Blanco as a barangay captain in the city's coastal
barangay of Mansasa. Blanco is one of the 11 barangay captains identified with
the city mayor.
RELEASED
ON BAIL
The
arrested barangay captain was released barely few hours after his arrest following
the issuance of a release order issued by RTC Judge Fernando Fuentes.
The
swertres financier was already at the City Port ready to board the 5:30 p.m. trip
of Oceanjet to Cebu when the court order was served aborting his detention at
the Recom-7 headquarters in Cebu City.
Col.
Buenafe was shocked on the fast tracking of the court order but could not refuse
the release of Blanco. However, the PNP official said that charges will be filed
tomorrow against the barangay captain while he considers the evidences seized
inside Blanco's residence as solid and heavy evidences to prove that he is indeed
a financier of the illegal numbers game.
Atty.
Amante, who spoke in behalf of the barangay official said he will file a motion
to quash the warrant issued by Cebu Judge Paderanga. He questioned why it was
not specified in the warrant the reason why it has to be issued by a court outside
the province.
PCSO
CITATION
The
Philippine Charity Sweeptakes Office (PCSO) is proposing to its top management
to give citations and awards to government enforcers who can haul personalities
involved in the illegal numbers game.
VisMin
general manager William Medice hailed the accomplishment of the Recom-7 team who
swooped down to arrest the barangay official engaged in the illegal numbers game.
The
report on Blanco's arrest was immediately dispatched by PCSO to its top management
including to Malacanang authorities.
Two
weeks ago, Medice and other PCSO officials were in town for the diamond jubilee
celebration. They noted down the proliferation of swertres in the province, particularly
in the city.
SANCTION
CITY COPS?
The
raid of the PNP regional intelligence service came barely a week after officials
of the PCSO urged the public not to patronize the illegal version of "Swertres".
City
residents, especially in barangay Mansasa, likewise aired over the radio their
sentiments on the unabated illegal swertres operations wherein even children resort
to stealing just to bet in the daily swertres.
Asked
why the raid was conducted without the coordination of the Tagbilaran City Police
Station, SSupt. Buenafe said they wanted to keep the operation confidential as
much as possible as previous attempts had turned out negative.
Buenafe
also said the regional command will undertake an assessment on City Police chief
Supt. Julius Cesar Gornez. He declined to say however of any possibilities that
the city police chief may be relieved or administratively sanctioned in accordance
with the "one strike policy".
"The
regional headquarters always gives a freehand to local commanders to carry out
their responsibilities, but in this case, the regional command initiated the raid
due to reports that the illegal numbers game operation here is becoming worse,"
he added.
SERIOUS
PENALTIES
Blanco
will be charged for violating RA 9287, the law governing illegal numbers game,
and could face stiffer penalties being an elected public official.
Under
Sec. 5 of RA 9287, a government employee or public official caught as a financier
or operator of illegal numbers game shall be meted the penalty of 12 to 20 years
in prison and a fine ranging from P3 million to P5 million.
Whether
elected or appointed, the public official will also be penalized with "perpetual
absolute disqualification" to hold public office.
According
to Buenafe, the gravity of the penalty will be determined by the court.
COPS
ON THE TAKE?
It
was gathered by the Chronicle that swertres operations in Bohol alone could involve
some P2 million daily.
Two
former operators of the illegal numbers game disclosed that their daily operating
expenses would always include "budget for payoffs" to certain policemen
and officials as "protection money" that could range from P500 to as
much as P3,000 on a day.
SSupt.
Ingking has repeatedly challenged the public to report policemen who are involved
in swertres as this would damage the credibility of the PNP while he denied receiving
protection money from a swertres operator based in a northern coastal town.
The
provincial director has vowed a more aggressive action against swertres saying
policemen will face sanction if they fail to arrest swertres personalities in
their respective jurisdictions.
"ONE
STRIKE" POLICY
Chief
Superintendent Terte warned that he would remove from their posts the police officers
who fail to stop the illegal numbers game.
Terte
visited Bohol last month together with PNP Chief Director General Jesus Versoza
to inaugurate the new police headquarters in Batuan town and to attend the groundbreaking
of the police headquarters in Balilihan town.
The
apprehension of two swertres operators in the same area by a police team from
another town or unit would mean the removal of the station commander, according
to Terte.
The
relief of two police chiefs in a province would result in the removal of the provincial
police director while the relief of three provincial directors would also mean
that the regional director would be axed, he added.
Terte
also directed the police chiefs to coordinate with local government officials
to make the campaign against illegal gambling a priority in their respective locality.
He
called on all sectors, including some members of the media who have been giving
tips and results of swertres over the radio programs, to help in the efforts to
minimize illegal gambling.
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