Tondo anti-crime drive: 250 rounded up by police

MANILA, Philippines — More than 250 people were arrested by police during simultaneous anti-crime operations in Tondo, Manila yesterday.

Members of the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 7 led by Superintendent Gerry Corpuz conducted the operations in Barangays 184, 199 and 200 where they nabbed around 50 men allegedly involved in “tupada” or illegal cockfight, seven drug suspects and hundreds of city ordinance violators.

Corpuz said they conducted the raids after validating information that several men were engaged in illegal gambling in these areas.

A source told The STAR that a police officer from Camp Crame in Quezon City was behind the operation of the tupada. Corpuz said they were checking the information.

The source said illegal gambling will not proliferate if the barangay officials were doing their job.

“It’s either they don’t know about the illegal gambling or they don’t bother at all. In any case, they should be held answerable,” he said.

Three most wanted men, believed to be members of criminal groups operating in Manila, were collared along Dagupan Extension and Yuseco streets.

Police also rounded up 100 individuals for violating ordinances in Barangay 216.