RTC stops Meridien’s jai-alai operations in Pangasinan

By August 21, 2016Headlines, News

The Duterte administration’s policy contra-illegal gambling has won one battle: Meridien’s off-fronton jai-alai operations in Pangasinan have been stopped.

Presiding Judge A. Florentino Dumlao Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 42 in Dagupan City granted the prayer of petitioners for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction against Meridien Vista Gaming Corporation to refrain from engaging in jai-alai and other forms of illegal gambling in Pangasinan, managed or operated by said group.

In the seven-page court decision dated Aug. 3, 2016, Dumlao ordered “respondent, its agents, assigns, and or representatives are ordered to cease and desist from conducting its jai-alai operations or its variants in the Province of Pangasinan.”

He added that as a policy, illegal gambling must be stopped by all means. “Indeed, no less than the present administration of President Duterte vowed to put a stop to the proliferation of online gambling in the country, as he expressed concern about the negative impact on a person’s life,” his decision added.

Consequently, Dumlao said, Meridien’s operations will have to stop pending determination of the legality of the gambling operations of respondent outside of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) or in the province of Pangasinan.

He also wrote: “It may be added that the ruin of public morals cannot just be overlooked much less tolerated. It has deep implications that impinge upon the lives of the people affected”.

The court has ordered the sheriff to serve the writ upon respondent immediately upon receipt of the decision.

The petitioners were Anthony Ang-angco, Alfie Soriano and Jose Millora, former Meridien employees.

The petitioners pointed out that not only was the license of Meridien to engage in gambling activities issued by CEZA had been revoked and was not renewed; it used its license to operate jai-alai games as gambling activity not only within but also outside the Economic Zone defined in Sec. 3 of RA 7922, particularly in Pangasinan.

P/Sr. Superintendent Ronald Lee, acting provincial police director, confirmed that while he received a copy of the court’s decision, he is awaiting an order from the court specifically directing the police to enforce the court’s order.

He said the court decision was addressed to Meridien to cease and desist and the police was only furnished copy of the decision.

“If there is a court order addressed directly to the PNP that we should stop it, then we will act on it,” he said.

Jai-alai has been operating in Pangasinan since 2011 and has been used as a front for jueteng. (Tita Roces)

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