Obstruction case readied against Carcar woman who warned gamblers of approaching cops

Aside from the two illegal gamblers caught during a raid on a tigbakay activity in Barangay Napo at past 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 27, a 51-year-old woman will also be charged for obstruction of justice for warning the illegal gamblers about the approaching policemen. | Photo courtesy of Carcar Police Station

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The woman, who warned “tigbakay” gamblers about the arrival of the police during a raid in Barangay Napo, Carcar City this morning, September 27, 2020, will be charged with obstruction of justice.

The woman identified as Mercy Ginandoy, 51, a resident of the barangay, however, eluded arrest when police went back to her house to arrest her, said Police Corporal Argie Noel Espinoza of Carcar City Police Station in a phone interview with CDN Digital.

Despite her being at large, Espinoza said the obstruction of justice charge would be filed against her together with the illegal gambling charge against two men, who were caught during the “tigbakay” raid at 11 a.m. today in Barangay Napo.

Espinoza said that Ginandoy allegedly shouted to the group of at least 20 men engaged in tigbakay warning them that the police had arrived, which resulted to the escape of all but two of these illegal gamblers.

Ginandoy was allegedly near her house and was about 20 meters away from the men engaged in tigbakay.

Read: 13 tigbakay gamblers, MGCQ violators nabbed in Talisay

“Kani si Mercy ni syagit ni siya og ‘Naay mga police’ pag abot sa mga police sa area. Mao to nga perting dagan sa mga nag tigbakay og wala nagyud na abtan sa kapolisan maong apilon sad ni siyag kaso,” said Espinoza.

(Mercy shouted to those engaged in illegal cockfighting that the “police are here!” When the law enforcers arrived in the area. That is why the illegal gamblers scampered in different directions and escaped. This is the reason she is included in the filing of the case.)

Espinoza said that when they returned to look for Mercy Ginandoy, no one would tell them where she lived, but we eventually found out where her house was and it was only about 20 meters away from where the tigbakay was being held.

He also said that when they arrived at her house, she was no longer there.

Meanwhile, illegal gambling charges will also be filed against the two men, who were caught during the raid.

Alberto Diez, 34, from Barangay Poblacion, Sibonga and Teodolo Labajo Ginandoy, 57, who is from Barangay Napo, Carcar City and allegedly a relative of Mercy Ginandoy, were detained at the Carcar City Police Station detention cell pending the filing of charges.

Aside from the illegal gambling charge, a case of violating the Bayanihan Act for not wearing face masks and for violating the  prohibited gathering rule, will also be filed against the two men./dbs