CEBU CITY, Philippines — Eight men were caught playing mahjong in Barangay Inayagan, Naga City, Cebu, in a separate operation this Sunday afternoon, August 9, 2020.
Police Staff Sergeant Dionisio Cabotaje of Naga City Police Station said that their investigators responded to two calls from concerned citizens this afternoon, who reported about men engaging in an illegal gambling game called mahjong outside their residences.
The first call at 2:30 p.m. which police immediately responded, led to the arrest of Rezalde Siton, 56; Charlito Pardillo, 46; Gero Christian Dalag, 33 and Roy Fubar, 46, who were all residents in the area.
According to Cabotaje, the four men were outside their homes playing mahjong and violated social distancing protocols when the policemen arrived. They were immediately brought to the police station.
In less than two hours after the arrest of the first four men, another call from a concerned citizen in the same barangay, informed that there were other men playing mahjong again.
About 4 p.m., policemen went back to the area and found four other men playing the game.
These men were identified as Gilbert Alindao, 51; Cesar Montemayor, 58; Jaime Flores, 57; and Ranillo Sanchez, 46, who were also residents of the area.
With this incident, Cabotaje said that the people, who would continue to violate the laws would be at a disadvantage as the police would continuously monitor illegal activities and the public would also be active in reporting when they would spot the violators.
“Di na lang gyud unta sila mo duwa aning mga illegal activities kay sila man alaot ani kung madakpan,” said Cabotaje.
(Let us not just engage in these illegal activities because those, who will be caught, will be the ones to suffer the consequences of their actions.)
The eight men are currently detained in Naga City Police detention facility while the case for violating Presidential Decree 1602 or illegal gambling act are being prepared for the filing on Monday, August 10, 2020.
Read: Langtad barangay captain, 3 others arrested for playing mahjong in Argao
The mahjong arrests also came a day after (Saturday, August 8) a barangay official and three others were also caught for the same offense in Argao town. /dbs