Public urged: Continue to help us catch illegal gamblers

Joint patrols and recorrida of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Talisay City Police and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology around the barangays in Talisay City at around 3 p.m. today, July 3, 2020. | Photos Courtesy of Police Major Gerard Ace Pelare

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police Major Gerard Ace Pelare, chief of the Talisay City Police Station, has urged the public to help them catch those who are violating illegal gambling law.

This, after the Talisay City policemen arrested at least eight individuals playing “tong-its” outside their homes during the “Oplan Limpyo Talisay” operation conducted in the different barangays of the city starting from 8 p.m. of September 12, to 3:30 a.m. of September 13, 2020.

According to Pelare, the illegal gambling violators were now fewer compared from the previous months where they were able to apprehend at least 50 individuals a month for illegal gamblers alone.

However, there are still those, who continue to violate this law even when there is continued police operations and recorrida that reminds them about the protocols.

“It’s always a partnership between the police and community. Kung dili pud mo tug-an ang community (if the community will not report it), how will we know that there is an illegal gambling going on?” said Pelare.

With this, Pelare said it would be important that the public would also realize their role, which would be as important as well for they would be the ones who would be able to see illegal activities in the area.

“Di man gyud malikayan nga naa gyud. (We cannot evade it.) We cannot assure everyone that there will be no illegal gambling in Talisay. What we can assure to the public is we will not stop in arresting these people,” said Pelare./dbs