COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Nine persons, three of them minors, were arrested in separate operations in South Cotabato province this week for illegal gambling amid the COVID-19 quarantine.
Brig. Gen. Alfred Corpus, director of the Police Regional Office-12, said Saturday many of the offenders were nabbed and detained for card games in their barangays that are under coronavirus quarantine since March.
Two were arrested for playing billiard with bets in Banga town in South Cotabato, according to Corpus.
Three minors were also arrested for playing “hantak,” a traditional coin “head and tail” game, in Tantangan town near South Cotabato’s provincial capital, Koronadal City.
Corpus said the offenders shall be prosecuted for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 that outlawed all forms of illegal gambling in the country.