Some of the 19 individuals who are caught engaging in high-stakes illegal gambing den inside the Raph Wines and Spirits Building in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu that is raided by the Cebu City police at dawn of Jan. 31, 2019. | Photo by Benjie Talisic
CEBU CITY, Philippines – They were secret big time illegal gambling dens no more.
After weeks of sleuthing, the Cebu City police busted two illegal gambling dens said to be frequented by “prominent” personalities, including politicians, in Cebu.
Caught in the act of engaging in high-stake poker games or attending to gamblers were a total of 23 persons during simultaneous raids at dawn of January 31 inside a wine shop in Barangay Kamputhaw and in a two-storey building in Barangay Guadalupe.
None of those arrested, however, were political figures in Cebu.
The twin raids in the illegal poker houses, implemented under the Synchronized Management Police Operation (Sempo) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), was led by Chief Inspector Chuck Barandog, head of the City Force Mobile Company (CFMC).
Barandog, interviewed by the Cebu Daily News Digital at the sidelines of the raid inside the Ralphs Wines and Spirit Building in Morales Street, Barangay Kamputhaw, said they learned about the place being used for high stakes gambling from an informant.
They had placed the establishment under surveillance for at least a month and discovered that gamblers passed through the back door of the shop before they applied for and was granted a search warrant by Judge Amory Nueva of Branch 13 of the Cebu City Regional Trial Court (RTC).
Among the items found inside the wine shop following the 1 a.m. raid were poker tables, numerous chairs, poker cards, other gambling paraphernalia, and, more importantly, a number of gambling chips of different denominations, similar to those used in casinos.
Barandong said the chips were estimated to be worth at least P700,000.
The search warrant in the Raph Wines raid was addressed to Raul Socuco and Raymond Oriendo, said to be the persons who rented the building but were both not around during the raid.
The two men were charged for violation of the anti-gambling law for operating an off-site gambling den without a permit from the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corporation (Pagcor). They were now considered to be “at large,” according to Barandong.
Among the items seized as evidence by the police in an illegal gambling den raid inside Ralph Wines and Spirit Building in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City on Jan. 31, 2019 is a white board that lists the day’s “Bad Bet Jackpot” at P143, 372. | CDND Photo by Tonee Despojo
Those arrested in the Ralph Wines building raid were identified as Precy Impas, allegedly the assistant manager of the gambling den; Maricel Esmaya, cashier; Arhena Zamora, employee; a certain Diabordo, a card dealer; Diomeded Tudtud, card dealer; and card players Rose Cacnindin, Joseph Sabillo, Teresito Caňete, Eric Lui, Rodel Ramas, Joven Genard, Royce Uy, Nino Arda, Danrave Malalay, Alejandro Alburo, Ain Celerio, Jordan Villondo, Lee Young Sang, and Ryan Antig.
In the Guadalupe raid, those arrested were Chuck Leonard Lai, the subject of the search warrant; and Basilio Zamora, 52; Marlou Bacante, 42; and Basil Jacala, 31.
Lai, according to the search warrant, was allegedly “operating an off-site poker games without permit/authorization from the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corporation (Pagcor)” at the ground of a two-storey building in English, V. Rama Avenue, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.
The search warrant was issued by Judge James Stewart Ramon Himalaloan of Branch 7 of the Cebu City RTC.
Some of the 23 individuals arrested during the raids are still detained at the CCPO since they are yet to post bail on the illegal gambling charges filed against them. /elb