Charges are filed against the three (3) suspects allegedly involved in an illegal gambling operation in Tagbilaran who were arrested on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
According to records provided by The Bohol Tribune sources, charges of alleged violation of Republic Act No. 9287 also known as An Act to Increase Penalties Against Illegal Numbers Games were filed against the three (3) accused identified as Melandro Yamaro, Rose Yamaro, both from barangay Taloto, Tagbilaran City and Ramses Jensen Namoc, from barangay Ubujan, Tagbilaran City.
Three (3) information, with one information for each accused, have been filed by Associate City Prosecutor Cheryl Baqua-Gamas, to the Regional Trial Court multiple salas, according to records.
A source told The Bohol Tribune that the accused have posted bail on Friday afternoon, July 17, 2020.
The suspects were arrested after they were allegedly caught operating a numbers game violating the directives of President Duterte and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) about the temporary suspension of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and other online gaming activities.
THE STORY
According to the information filed by Gamas it reads, “The undersigned, Associate City Prosecutor; City of Tagbilaran, Philippines, hereby accuses MELLEN ROSE YAMARO y LOPEZ, for the crime of Violation of Sec. 3, Par. b in rel. to Sec.2 Part of R.A. 9287.”
The information further reads, “That on July 15, 2020 at around 9:00 o’clock in the morning, in the City of Tagbilaran City, Philippines, and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, the above-named accused, have in her possession the following gambling paraphernalias, such as: 1) One (1) unit Draw Machine for number game; 2) Fifteen (15) pcs. assorted color pingpong balls; 3) One (1) unit cellular phone color blue VIVO” with tripod used to cover the numbers game local draw; 4) Ore (1) unit automatic voltage regulator; 5) Two (2) pcs. speaker with amplified; 6) One (1) unit microphone; 7) One (1) pc, white board; One (1) pc. eraser; and 9) Four (4) pcs. pentelpen color black – acting as personnel or staff in the operation of the illegal number game “suertres” which is taking place or is about to take place as factors in giving out jackpots, did then and there willfully, unlawfully and feloniously, solicits bets in behalf of them without any lawful authority and/or permit from the Philippine Charity Office (PCSO) or the Philippine Amusement Game Corporation (PAGCOR), to the damage and prejudice of the Republic of the Philippines.”
In a memorandum by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Provincial Field Unit (PFU), which was provided by The Bohol Tribune sources, it stated that the operation happened on July 15, 2020 at 11:10 am, in barangay Mansasa, Tagbilaran City.
In a joint affidavit of arrest, a copy of which was provided by The Bohol Tribune sources, executed by Patrolman Joshua Omison and Patrolman Jericson Carbonel, who are assigned with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Provincial Field Unit (PFU), it stated further details of the arrest of the suspects.
The two police officers said, “That sometime on the first of week of July 2020, CIDG PFU Office receive various information from a concern citizen that a numbers game operation “Suertres” under local draw of Peryahan ng Bayan Lottery transpired in the province of Bohol within selected municipalities.”
“In consideration with the present pronouncement of the President as the Commander-in-Chief that stresses out the existence of any illegal gambling activities nationwide regardless of the pandemic crisis the country is facing at hand in which government cash aids received by the public were taken due advantage in such illegal activities. In line with this, a Directive from DILG dated June 19, 2020 and duly signed by Under Secretary for Local Government, Maricel C Sacendoncilla, CESO II, was officially issued with the subject “Temporary Suspension of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Lottery and Other On-Line Gaming Activities” addressed to (local government units) LGU’s and other concerned agencies. Also, the existence of Executive Order No. 33 and a Stoppage Oder based on the City Ordinance No. RC-001 from the Office of the City Administrator duly signed by Samuel S Belderol OIC, (Business Permit and Licensing Office) BPLO and Cathelyn O Torremocha, CPA, OIC Administrator dated July 13, 2020,” the officers in their joint affidavit mentioned.
“And considering that it is a CIDG FLAGSHIP PROJECT, OPLAN ROULETTE/BOLILYO wherein the Regional Chief of the CIDG (Regional Field Unit) RFU 7, PCOL ROMMEL J. OCHAVE gave directive to eradicate all forms of Illegal Gambling,” the joint affidavit reads.
They added, “That acting on such directive and information, Our Provincial Chief, PMAJ LEO DIAO LARAGA, directed the Intel/Invest and Operation Section to conduct investigation relative to the report that this Office received and disclosed that numbers game “Suertres” exists within the AOR. On July 7 & 8, 2020, CIDG PFU confidential agent successfully bet the Peryahan ng Bayan/Lucky Tres.”
The police officers continued in their affidavit, “That at about 9:00 o’clock in the morning of July 11, 2020, I (Pat Joshua G Omison) received information from my confidential informant that Peryahan ng Bayan Lottery Outlet draw court was installed at the Club House Building located in V.P. Inting Avenue, Brgy. Mansasa, Tagbilaran City, Bohol and operated or conducted local draw on Numbers Game ‘Suertres’.”
In the same joint affidavit it was stated,” Upon receipt of such information, I (Pat Omison) informed our Provincial Chief, PMAJ LEO DIAO LARAGA relative to the report and thereafter, PMAJ LAGARA instructed me (Pat Omison) and Pat Joshua T Carbonel to conduct casing/surveillance operation to the check the veracity of the report.”
Furthermore, it was mentioned, “And at about 10:00 o’clock in the morning of July 11, 2020, we (Pat Omison and Pat Carbonel) together with our confidential informant and using four-wheeled tented vehicle as mode of transportation left the CIDG Office and proceeded to the target place. Upon arrival thereat, we parked our service vehicle in a vantage view to visibly observe for whatever unusual movements may transpire during our surveillance operation and we saw a big tarpaulin of “Peryahan ng Bayan” posted outside and also thru the transparent glass door we clearly saw that a Lottery Machine installed inside the building/premises of Club House.”
In the same affidavit, “That from our position, we clearly saw the machine inside used by unidentified three (3) male individuals, two (2) of them manning the Lottery Machine Draw and the other one (1) operated a cellular phone with tripod believe to be covering the said draw, just like the modality of PCSO national draw. Thereafter, we left the area going back to our office and informed our Provincial Chief, PMAJ LARAGA that the illegal draw court was just along the highway street of V.P. Inting Avenue to which any person can easily observed or noticed such activity inside and further told him the details as what transpired during our operation.”
Moreover, the two CIDG personnel said, “That PMAJ LAGARA instructed us to verify the Peryahan ng Bayan Lottery Outlet at Club House Building in V.P. Inting Avenue, Brgy. Mansasa, Tagbilaran City, Bohol If the said entity still conducted draw on numbers game “Suertres” wherein we clearly saw that Peryahan ng Bayan Lottery Outlet still operated.”
“That at about 9:00AM of July 15, 2020, Our Provincial Chief, PMAJ LEO DIAO LARAGA conducted briefing for police operation against the Peryahan ng Bayan Lottery Outlet for violating National Government Directive/Policy, Local Government Unit’s Executive Order and Ordinances, and existing laws such as RA 9287 for the illegal operation of numbers game “Suertres”, the two officers said in their affidavit.
“Thereafter, the team left the CIDG PFU OFFICE and proceeded to the target place. Three (3) personnel made an advance positioning to actually witnessed the use of draw machine in the local draw of results for “Suertres” with a video footage of the said consummation of illegal activity, simultaneously, making a call to our chief, PMAJ LARAGA as signal to immediately rush up and aid the operation. PMAJ LARAGA and other members of the team were positioned along the highway of V.P. Inting Street few meters away from the target area on board a four wheeled vehicle,” the joint affidavit bares.
The two officers said, “As we arrived in-front of the Peryahan ng Bayan Lottery Outlet, alighted and thru the transparent glass door we saw one (1) female individual wearing color red shirt Peryahan ng Bayan Uniform manning the machine draw with the machine still running/operating and two (2) male individuals, one (1) manning the cellular phone with tripod covering/capturing the numbers game “Suertres” lottery draw on live via facebook and the other one (1) supervising them.”
The same joint affidavit revealed, “That the one (1) female individual later identified as Mellen Rose Yamaro Lopez, female, 20 years old and a resident of Brgy. Taloto, Tagbilaran City, Bohol and the two (2) male individuals later identified as Melandro Yamaro y Lopez, male, 52 years old, married and a resident of Brgy. Taloto, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, and Ramses Jansen Namoc y Cutanda, male, 25 years old, single and a resident of Brgy. Ubujan, Tagbilaran City, Bohol.”
“At that juncture, we went inside the Peryahan ng Bayan Outlet and asked them if they have a license and/ or any document authorizing them to operate numbers game lottery “Suertres” and any contract of employment as personnel and staff thereof, however, they failed to present any. Hence, we arrested them and I (Pat Omison) informed them the cause of their arrest and the nature of the offense they committed and apprised of their constitutional rights provided for under the law. Subsequently, PMAJ LAGARA summoned the barangay officials of the said place to witness in the conduct of the confiscation of the gambling paraphernalia or materials,” the joint affidavit of the two officers revealed.
“And in the presence of the arrested persons and summoned witnesses, we (Pat Omison and Pat Carbonel) confiscated the illegally used Gambling Paraphernalia or Materials, And in their presence, I (Pat Omison) marked and conducted receipt/inventory of the seized items,” the joint affidavit mentioned.
It was further revealed in the joint affidavit, “That the receipt/certificate of the inventory of the confiscated items was reduced into writing and a copy of which was given to the arrested persons and summoned witnesses.”
The two officers in their joint affidavit added, “That the arrested persons and the pieces of evidence were brought to CIDG PFU Office at Camp Francisco Dagohoy, Tagbilaran City, Bohol for proper disposition.”
The two police officers concluded in their joint affidavit, “That we are executing this affidavit to attest the truthfulness of the foregoing facts and circumstances and in support to the filing of case for Violation of Section 4 and Section 2 para (f) in relation to Section 3 para (b) (Personnel or Staff of Illegal Numbers Game Operation) of RA 9287, who engaged in the said illegal draw of suertres.”
DISCLAIMER
Meanwhile, Globaltech Mobile Online Corp. is issuing a disclaimer, where the full text is found in page 19 of this Sunday’s issue of The Bohol Tribune.
In the disclaimer the company said,” It has come to our attention that there are certain groups or individuals using the name GLOBALTECH MOBILE ONLINE CORP., disguising as ‘Peryahan ng Bayan’ to mask their illegal gambling operations in the Province of Bohol.”
The same disclaimer said, “GLOBALTECH MOBILE ONLINE CORP. strongly condemns these illegal acts which led to a raid by CIDG personnel last July 15, 2020 at Café Veridi along V.P. Inting St. of this city.”
“We would like to state for the record that GLOBALTECH MOBILE ONLINE CORP. has nothing to do with the current “Peryahan ng Bayan” being perpetrated by these individuals or groups as it has ceased operation since March 17, 2020,” the company revealed in its disclaimer.
“In other words, GLOBALTECH MOBILE ONLINE CORP. did NOT authorize any individual or entity to operate as such in the province,” the disclaimer further reads.
“GLOBALTECH MOBILE ONLINE CORP. is coordinating with the proper law enforcement agencies in order to put a stop to these highly condemnable acts to the end that its humble name and reputation in the gaming industry are NOT tarnished by this latest incident,” the company mentioned in its disclaimer.
“We would like to reiterate that only GLOBALTECH MOBILE ONLINE CORP. has been granted the sole authority to conduct operations as “Peryahan Games” in Bohol albeit momentarily suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic,” the company concluded in its disclaimer.