The primary responsibility for apprehending law-breakers lies with the law-enforcers. Turns out this slippery big fish in swertres is a friend of the Mayor, and the latter even offered to provide counsel to a friend in distress. Tsk, tsk. To redirect this thread back to the topic, here's a detailed account of the arrest reported by Bohol Chronicle today:Swertres raid nabs city barangay chief BIGGEST HAUL. Mansasa Barangay Captain Manolo "Taran" Blanco, 50 (with eyeglasses) caught with bundles of cash amounting to P586,715 during an early morning raid at his residence last Friday conducted by elements of the Regional Intelligence Division led by P/SSupt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe. Right photo shows the sack load of cash carried by operatives to be presented as evidence against the suspect.
Amid public criticism for its failure to catch the "big fish" in the intensified campaign against the illegal numbers game swertres, regional police operatives arrested Friday a city barangay captain identified as a "big time" financier operating all over the province.
A joint team from the intelligence branch of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) and the Bohol PNP seized cash amounting P586,715 and various paraphernalia used in the illegal swertres.
Arrested inside his residence was Barangay Captain Manolo Blanco, alias Taran, 50, of barangay Mansasa, this city.
A certain, Arnel Pablo, 32, of Matig-a Street this city was also nabbed at Blanco's residence. He is one of the coordinators who had in his possession swertres tip sheets and tally sheets.
Blanco is said to be the biggest financier of the illegal numbers game in the province operating through networks in several towns with well structured coordinators particularly operating in the city.
He has been spared from recent arrests as police records showed that those "small fries" arrested are coming from the towns.
Past 7 in the morning Friday, elements of the PNP Regional Intelligence Division (RID-7) led by S/Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe and selected operatives of the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) led by S/Supt. Edgardo Ingking conducted the raid at the residence of Blanco in barangay Mansasa which is said to be one of the major headquarters of the illegal swertres operations.
By virtue of a search warrant issued by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Judge Sylvia Aguirre Paderanga, the raiding team cornered Blanco confiscating the cash in different denominations believed to be proceeds from bets and the gambling paraphernalia.
In an interview with the Chronicle, SSupt. Buenafe bared they have been sending surveillance teams here since they received reports on Blanco's illegal gambling operations.
"After our agents verified and found the reports positive, hence, we planned out the raid," Buenafe said.
According to Buenafe, informants told them that Blanco have been operating for several years now not only in his barangay but almost covering the entire province of Bohol.
Earlier that day, two members of the raiding team intercepted one Arnel Pablo, who confessed to be an "usher" for Blanco, along V.P. Inting Street, this city.
Pablo was on his way to the residence of Blanco when the police operatives cornered him. Seized from his possession were cash believed to be proceeds from bets and a swertres tip sheet.
The raid is considered to be the biggest success so far for PRO-7 after Regional Director C/Supt. Federico Terte ordered a region-wide crackdown against swertres.
Terte has warned provincial commanders and station chiefs that he will not settle for mere reporting but wants to see concrete results that would lead to the arrest of swertres financiers and coordinators not just "runners and ushers".
In fact, the regional commander has adopted the "one strike policy" and threatening to relieve provincial directors and station commanders if they fail to eradicate the illegal numbers game in their areas of responsibility.
Blanco and the seized items that included betting sheets, tip sheets and tally sheets
RUNNER Arnel Pablo, 32, swertres runner was caught at Blanco's residence during the raid while photo shows the huge loot of cash amounting to more than half a million pesos.
were immediately brought to Cebu City since the warrant issued originated from the Cebu City RTC.
It was learned as of presstime that Blanco was able to post bail amounting P40,000 for his temporary release.
LAWYER FROM CITY MAYOR
"I will not abandon a friend," (referring to barangay captain Blanco), the city mayor said during his weekly radio program yesterday.
"I will provide him (Blanco) the best lawyer," the mayor stressed while he said that he can not stop the illegal numbers game if the national lotto will continue.
The friendship of the city mayor and Blanco was re-affirmed by the mayor himself who admitted that he positioned Blanco as a barangay captain in the city's coastal barangay of Mansasa. Blanco is one of the 11 barangay captains identified with the city mayor.
RELEASED ON BAIL
The arrested barangay captain was released barely few hours after his arrest following the issuance of a release order issued by RTC Judge Fernando Fuentes.
The swertres financier was already at the City Port ready to board the 5:30 p.m. trip of Oceanjet to Cebu when the court order was served aborting his detention at the Recom-7 headquarters in Cebu City.
Col. Buenafe was shocked on the fast tracking of the court order but could not refuse the release of Blanco. However, the PNP official said that charges will be filed tomorrow against the barangay captain while he considers the evidences seized inside Blanco's residence as solid and heavy evidences to prove that he is indeed a financier of the illegal numbers game.
Atty. Amante, who spoke in behalf of the barangay official said he will file a motion to quash the warrant issued by Cebu Judge Paderanga. He questioned why it was not specified in the warrant the reason why it has to be issued by a court outside the province.
PCSO CITATION
The Philippine Charity Sweeptakes Office (PCSO) is proposing to its top management to give citations and awards to government enforcers who can haul personalities involved in the illegal numbers game.
VisMin general manager William Medice hailed the accomplishment of the Recom-7 team who swooped down to arrest the barangay official engaged in the illegal numbers game.
The report on Blanco's arrest was immediately dispatched by PCSO to its top management including to Malacanang authorities.
Two weeks ago, Medice and other PCSO officials were in town for the diamond jubilee celebration. They noted down the proliferation of swertres in the province, particularly in the city.
SANCTION CITY COPS?
The raid of the PNP regional intelligence service came barely a week after officials of the PCSO urged the public not to patronize the illegal version of "Swertres".
City residents, especially in barangay Mansasa, likewise aired over the radio their sentiments on the unabated illegal swertres operations wherein even children resort to stealing just to bet in the daily swertres.
Asked why the raid was conducted without the coordination of the Tagbilaran City Police Station, SSupt. Buenafe said they wanted to keep the operation confidential as much as possible as previous attempts had turned out negative.
Buenafe also said the regional command will undertake an assessment on City Police chief Supt. Julius Cesar Gornez. He declined to say however of any possibilities that the city police chief may be relieved or administratively sanctioned in accordance with the "one strike policy".
"The regional headquarters always gives a freehand to local commanders to carry out their responsibilities, but in this case, the regional command initiated the raid due to reports that the illegal numbers game operation here is becoming worse," he added.
SERIOUS PENALTIES
Blanco will be charged for violating RA 9287, the law governing illegal numbers game, and could face stiffer penalties being an elected public official.
Under Sec. 5 of RA 9287, a government employee or public official caught as a financier or operator of illegal numbers game shall be meted the penalty of 12 to 20 years in prison and a fine ranging from P3 million to P5 million.
Whether elected or appointed, the public official will also be penalized with "perpetual absolute disqualification" to hold public office.
According to Buenafe, the gravity of the penalty will be determined by the court.
COPS ON THE TAKE?
It was gathered by the Chronicle that swertres operations in Bohol alone could involve some P2 million daily.
Two former operators of the illegal numbers game disclosed that their daily operating expenses would always include "budget for payoffs" to certain policemen and officials as "protection money" that could range from P500 to as much as P3,000 on a day.
SSupt. Ingking has repeatedly challenged the public to report policemen who are involved in swertres as this would damage the credibility of the PNP while he denied receiving protection money from a swertres operator based in a northern coastal town.
The provincial director has vowed a more aggressive action against swertres saying policemen will face sanction if they fail to arrest swertres personalities in their respective jurisdictions.
"ONE STRIKE" POLICY
Chief Superintendent Terte warned that he would remove from their posts the police officers who fail to stop the illegal numbers game.
Terte visited Bohol last month together with PNP Chief Director General Jesus Versoza to inaugurate the new police headquarters in Batuan town and to attend the groundbreaking of the police headquarters in Balilihan town.
The apprehension of two swertres operators in the same area by a police team from another town or unit would mean the removal of the station commander, according to Terte.
The relief of two police chiefs in a province would result in the removal of the provincial police director while the relief of three provincial directors would also mean that the regional director would be axed, he added.
Terte also directed the police chiefs to coordinate with local government officials to make the campaign against illegal gambling a priority in their respective locality.
He called on all sectors, including some members of the media who have been giving tips and results of swertres over the radio programs, to help in the efforts to minimize illegal gambling.
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