CHARGES for violation of illegal gambling were filed Tuesday, May 8, before the Bacolod City Prosecutor's Office against the 20 suspects who were arrested in simultaneous operations conducted by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Bacolod and Escalante City on May 7.
NBI-Bacolod Head Renoir Baldovino said they charged Lito Estember, manager of Globaltech Peryahan ng Bayan; Gezelle Tanique, remittance cashier of Globaltech; Donna Mellama, assistant cashier, Arjoeron Elisan, technical support, all residents of Barangay Granada; Rodelyn Mellama, trainee, of Escalante City; Joffrey Mellama, trainee, of Escalante City; Mark John Camarines, sales agent and resident of Barangay 35, Bacolod; John Ray Suede, technical support, of Barangay 2; and Ofelenio Tomaquin, sales agent, of Barangay 14 for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9287 or an Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Number Games.
Also charged were Mary May Britan, Elena Jose, Emalyn Guardania, Shiela Mae Castilla, Carlos Dela Cruz, Chingprig Padatogdog, Edmund Bosico, Roy Agabon, Juvy Bonda, and Vicente Gomez, all residents of Escalante City.
Baldovino said that during the investigation, it was determined that only nine persons were arrested in Bacolod and not 10 as earlier reported, while in Escalante City, it was only 11 arrested and not 12.
He said the cases of the suspects who were arrested in Escalante City were also filed here because the prosecutor officer of Escalante has an office in Bacolod.
He said the suspects, who are detained at NBI's custodial facility, could also file their bail of not less than P20,000.
On May 7, armed with a search warrant for violation of RA 9287 issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 89 Executive Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert, the agents swopped down the two facilities in Burgos-Lacson Streets, Bacolod City, and North Avenue in Escalante City at about 3:30 p.m.
The operatives confiscated computer machines, television monitors, routers, draw machines and number games paraphernalia.
Baldovino said they are still conducting further investigation to determine the owner of the "peryahan" to include them in the filing of the case.
He said the Peryahan ng Bayan has no authority to operate from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
