ILLEGAL GAMBLING SUCH AS BETO-BETO, PULA-PUTI, COLOR GAMES, DROPBALL GAME AND OTHERS DISGUISED AS PERYA IN Q.C., MILKING COW OF SOME ROTTEN OFFICIALS

The Late President FERDINAND E. MARCOS, in June 11, 1978 ordered and decreed PD 1602 enforcing STIFFER PENALTIES ON ILLEGAL GAMBLING when he have learned of the need to increase their penalties to make them more effective in combating this social menace which dissipate the energy and resources of the Filipino people.

Philippine Gambling Laws such as Articles 195-199 of the Revised Penal Code (Forms of Gambling and Betting), R.A. 3063 (Horse racing Bookies), P.D. 449 (Cockfighting), P.D. 483 (Game Fixing), P.D. 510 (Slot Machines) in relation to Opinion Nos. 33 and 97 of the Ministry of Justice, P.D. 1306 (Jai-Alai Bookies) and other City and Municipal Ordinances or gambling all over the country prescribe penalties which are inadequate to discourage or stamp out this pernicious activities;

On April 2, 2004 an Act against illegal gambling was signed into law. It is an Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2547 and House Bill No. 6575 which was finally passed by the Senate and House of Representatives on January 27, 2004 and February 4, 2004 respectively. The Republic Act No. 9287 otherwise known as AN ACT INCREASING THE PENALTIES FOR ILLEGAL NUMBERS GAMES, AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1602, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

This Act was passed for the purposes of condemning the existence of illegal gambling activities such as illegal numbers games as this has become an influential factor in an individual's disregard for the value of dignified work, perseverance and thrift since instant monetary gains from it are being equated to success, thereby becoming a widespread social menace and a source of corruption. And it is the policy of the State to promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all. It is likewise the policy of the State that the promotion of social justice shall include the commitment to create economic opportunities based on freedom of initiative and self-reliance. (RA9287;Sec.1)

Towards this end, the State therefore adopted more stringent measures to stop and eradicate the existence of illegal numbers games in any part of the country.

Part of the Act are read as follows;

Sec. 3. Punishable Acts. - Any person who participates in any illegal numbers game shall suffer the following penalties:

a) The penalty of imprisonment from thirty (30) days to ninety (90) days, if such person acts as a bettor;

b) The penalty of imprisonment from six (6) years and one (1) day to eight (8) years, if such person acts as a personnel or staff of an illegal numbers game operation;

The same penalty shall likewise be imposed to any person who allows his vehicle, house, building or land to be used in the operation of the illegal numbers games.

c) The penalty of imprisonment from eight (8) years and one (1) day to ten (10) years, if such person acts as a collector or agent;

d) The penalty of imprisonment from ten (10) years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years, if such person acts as a coordinator, controller or supervisor;

e) The penalty of imprisonment from twelve (12) years and one (1) day to ten (10) fourteen (14) years, if such person acts as a maintainer, manager or operator; and

f) The penalty of imprisonment from fourteen (14) years and one (1) day to sixteen (16) years, if such person acts as a financier or capitalist;

g) The penalty of imprisonment from sixteen (16) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years, if such person acts as protector or coddler.

Sec. 4. Possession of Gambling Paraphernalia or Materials. - The possession of any gambling paraphernalia and other materials used in the illegal numbers game operation shall be deemed prima facie evidence of any offense covered by this Act.

Sec. 5. Liability of Government Employees and/or Public Officials. - a) If the collector, agent, coordinator, controller, supervisor, maintainer, manager, operator, financier or capitalist of any illegal numbers game is a government employee and/or public official, whether elected or appointed shall suffer the penalty of twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a fine ranging from Three million pesos (P3,000,000.00) to Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) and perpetual absolute disqualification from public office.

In addition to the penalty provided in the immediately preceding section, the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office shall be imposed upon any local government official who, having knowledge of the existence of the operation of any illegal numbers game in his/her jurisdiction, fails to abate or to take action, or tolerates the same in connection therewith.

b) In the case of failure to apprehend perpetrators of any illegal numbers game, any law enforcer shall suffer an administrative penalty of suspension or dismissal, as the case may be, to be imposed by the appropriate authority.

Even with the existence of such laws and stiffer penalties imposed against illegal gambling activities, illegal numbers games and other forms of such still continue to proliferate.

One type of illegal gambling which exist at the present is the COLOR GAME/DROP BALL, BETO-BETO AND PULA-PULA Located at the corner of West Point St. and Aurora Blvd., Barangay E. Rodriguez, Cubao Quezon City, beside the Recto bound LRT Station, CHOWKING Restaurant fronting the Gateway Mall under the Jurisdiction of Bgy. Capt. Danny Tan also under the jurisdiction of the QCPD-Police Station 7 who both denies knowledge of the existence of the said gambling game under the guise of PERYAHAN.

Another one is located at the Tricycle terminal of Batasan Hills along Commonwealth Avenue corner IBP Road, In Fairview, Quezon City.

How can this be eradicated when law enforcers and the local government officials are seemingly deaf and blind to the existence of this gambling games.

One thing is also noticeable, different police mobile patrol cars were regularly passing through these gambling spots. Stops for a while, somebody comes to them, extends the arms inside the mobile then off they go, like nothing was illegal that they have seen.

Tsk. . . .tsk. . . .tsk.

Those Rats!!!!