NPD nabs 472 persons in anti-gambling drive

The Northern Police District arrested a total of 472 persons during its renewed campaign against all forms of illegal gambling activities in the northern part of Metro Manila for the past three months.

Of the persons arrested, 104 were jueteng personnel while the rest were nabbed during operations in other forms of illegal gambling such as sakla, bookies, video-karera, video fruit game and color games, among others.

"The intensified drive against illegal gambling is only one of my concerns to make Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela (Camanava) a peaceful place to live in," NDP director Senior Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. said.

"My main thrust is to fight criminality," he said.

Starting Sept. 13, when Franco assumed his post, NPD operatives conducted at least 292 anti-gambling operations in Camanava resulting in the seizure of a total of 76 video-karera machines and 17 video fruit game machines. The operation also resulted in the confiscation of P52,921 in cash bets and filing of 150 cases against gambling personnel and maintainers.

Earlier, Franco ordered the four police chiefs in Camanava to work hard and come up with results, but he said their efforts are still inadequate.

This prompted Franco to create Special Project Section (SPS) unit under the NPD’s intelligence division which he can directly tap to curb criminal activities in the area. SPS, however, was criticized lately for its alleged dubious drive against illegal gambling which Franco denied. "Reports by some media people were unfounded and merely based on hearsay," he said.