3 from Argao, 2 from Tuburan jailed for illegal gambling

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Tips coming from concerned individuals led police to arrest five men for engaging in illegal gambling activities in the municipalities of Argao and Tuburan in Cebu province on Friday afternoon, August 28.

Police Corporal Albiso Apolinar Jr. of the Argao Police Station said they arrested Arpie Lanawan, 43, Teopnaie Gealon, 33, and Rachel Albiti, 31, for playing mahjong at around 6 p.m. while outside of their residences in Barangay Tulic in Argao town that is located about 70 kilometers south of Cebu City.

He said that the game caused other residents in the area are to also crowd and watch them play, a violation of social distancing protocols.

A fourth player, Salvador Lanawan, 74, managed to elude arrest, but Apolinar said that they will include him in the illegal gambling charge that they will file against the three arrested individuals.  Salvador is Arpie’s father.

Earlier on Friday, police in Tuburan town arrested two individuals – cousins Apdon Recta Montera Jr., 36, and Ernesto Montera, 46, – for engaging in illegal cockfighting, locally known as tigbakay, while in a vacant lot in Barangay Mag-alwa.  The two are from Barangay Kabankalan.

However, other bettors managed to flee before the police team arrived at the cockpit in Barangay Mag-alwa at around 4:30 p.m.

Police Staff Sergeant Romar Andrino, of Tuburan Police Station, said that the more than 10 men who gathered for the tigbakay started to scamper when they saw the police.  Tuburan police only collared the Montera cousins.

Initially, police identified three more bettors – Dale Pepito, Retchie Pepito, and Revy Pepito – from among those who escaped and will include them in the illegal gambling charge that they are filing on Tuesday, September 1.  The three are from Barangay Mag-atubang. / dcb