Mah-jong lands Talisay village chief in hot water
For allegedly refusing to assist authorities in an anti-illegal drug operation, a barangay captain in Talisay City, southern Cebu was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) yesterday afternoon.
NBI Assistant Director Dominador Cimafranca said they arrested Bulacao barangay captain Raul Cabañero after they allegedly caught him playing mah-jong, a Chinese gambling game, near the barangay hall.
“We have been coordinating with him several times as mandated under the law in conducting operations against illegal drugs. But he always refused to deal with us,” said Cimafranca.
Yesterday, someone tipped off the NBI-7 that Cabañero was playing mah-jong near the barangay hall.
“We caught him in flagrante delicto (in the act) of playing mah-jong,” he said.
The village official will be charged with illegal gambling, obstruction of justice, dereliction of duty, and a vilation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Before conducting the raid, barangay tanods told Cabañero that NBI-7 personnel were looking for him to coordinate the operation.
However, Cabañero told the tanods that he didn’t want to face the NBI agents.
The NBI agents later found out that Cabañero was busy playing mah-jong and didn’t want to be disturbed.
After arresting Cabañero, the NBI-7 went on to conduct a buy-bust operation and arrested two persons.
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