PROV'L PNP HEAD: Jai-alai in Negros Occidental illegal

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — All jai-alai operations in Negros Occidental, including those of Meridien Vista Gaming Corporation, are illegal.

Senior Supt. Allan Guisihan, police provincial director, made this declaration as he iterated his order to all police stations to go after jai-alai operations and all other illegal numbers game.

Guisihan, in a command conference at the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office the other day, said he issued this statement due to reports that an alleged operator of jai-alai was raided by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) in Sagay City but the confiscated items were later returned because these reportedly belonged to Meridien Vista Gaming Corp.

Meridien allegedly obtained a franchise from the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) to operate fronton and betting stations.

Guisihan however said: "As far as we know, Meridien's jai-alai operations in Negros is illegal, only the Small Town Lottery (STL) is authorized by the law." There were no legal papers furnished the police to justify the operations of Meridien, he said.

Besides the operations of Meridien outside of the CEZA are deemed illegal until the court decides on the case filed against the firm, said the police official.

Meanwhile, the recent raid conducted by the GAB in Sagay City resulted in the relief of Chief Insp. Gariel Gutierrez, city police chief, due to his alleged failure to comply with the PNP one-strike policy in the anti-illegal gambling campaign. — THE FREEMAN