Mayor orders intensified ops against illegal gambling

Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong directed the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) to intensify its campaign against illegal gambling after receiving several reports of alleged illegal gambling operations in some barangays.

The mayor said he had been receiving reports of alleged illegal gambling operations particularly along Otek St., Kayang St. and Legarda Road.

BCPO operations chief Lt. Col. Domingo Gambican reported during the third quarter meeting of the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) meeting held recently that they have conducted nine operations in August and September this year which led to the arrest of 29 persons involved in illegal gambling.

Gambican reported they also confiscated a total of P9,418 from the nine illegal gambling operations conducted.

Illegal gambling is among the non-index crimes being monitored in the city.

For the third quarter of the year, the BPCPO recorded 151 non-index crimes which is 17.86 percent higher compared to the 148 incidences recorded for the same period last year.

Per the BCPO report, the most prevalent non-index crimes from July to September this year are crimes related to illegal drugs, violence against women and children, unjust vexation, swindling and child abuse, respectively.

Gambican explained non-index crimes in the police parlance are those with law enforcement initiated actions thereby the more police operations, the higher the statistics would show.

Magalong in his speech after taking his oath of office for his first term as mayor back in 2019 instructed that all illegal gambling activities in the City shall cease to operate with a marching order to the police for zero tolerance to illegal gambling activities. – JMPS