At least 20 persons were arrested in an operation against illegal gambling in Quezon City, according to Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Director Brig. Gen. Nicolas D Torre III on Monday, Oct. 17.

Lt. Col. Morgan Aguilar, station commander of Batasan Police Station (PS 6), identified the suspects as Ramon Gimiyao Jose, 57, and Bryan Alforte, 46, both residents of Brgy. Silangan, Quezon City; Roel Devilla, 34; Saturnino Rodriguez, 62; Renato Conde, 55; Eduardo Ibatuan, 64; and Reynaldo Arsenio, 55, all residents of Brgy. Commonwealth, Quezon City; Baltazar Salvador, 42; Oliver Pariñas, 38; and Mario Ramos, 52 y/o, all residents of Brgy. Pag-asa, Quezon City.

Police said the suspects were arrested for playing “tupada” or illegal cockfighting along Villa Beatriz, Brgy. Old Balara, Quezon City at around 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 16.

Operatives of the Fairview Police Station (PS 5) also arrested Mark James Zaragosa, 19, a resident of Brgy. Sta. Lucia, Quezon City, for playing illegal number games along JP Rizal St. Brgy. Sta. Lucia, Quezon City at about 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 16.

In another operation, members of the Kamuning Police Station (PS 10) arrested Vicmar Semillano, 45; John Carlo Orario, 25; Elena Espiritu, 53, all residents of Brgy. Pinyahan, Quezon City; and Christopher Haveria, 42, resident of Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, for playing cara y cruz along Brgy. Pinyahan, Quezon City at around 10:00 a.m. on Oct. 16.

Members of the Holy Spirit Police Station (PS 14) also apprehended Andrei Miñao Lacno, 19; Patricio Montano Quimbo, 60; Marvin Punay Quimbo, 32, all residents of Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Quezon City; Aber Maroom Alilang, 20; and Francis Zulieta Dacoco, 31, both residents of Brgy. Holy Spirit, Quezon City, for playing cara y cruz at about 2:55 p.m. on Oct. 16.

Confiscated from the suspects during the simultaneous operations were several bet money and illegal gambling paraphernalia.

They are facing charges for violation of the anti-illegal gambling law.

Torre, meanwhile, lauded the different stations for their relentless campaign against all forms of illegal gambling.

“Magpapatuloy tayo sa ating mga operasyon kontra iligal na pasugalan dahil hangad nating hindi malulong ang ating mga kababayan sa sugal (We will continue our operations against illegal gambling because we do not want our countrymen to get hooked on illegal gambling).”