MERIEDIEN EMPLOYEES ARRESTED

URBIZTONDO— The government is finally closing in on illegal gambling in Pangasinan.

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed raided a jai-alai off-fronton betting betting station in Rizal St., Barangay Poblacion this town and arrested 58 persons in the premises.

The arrested individuals includes the manager, collector, supervisor, kabo and bettor. Confiscated items were illegal numbers game paraphernalia and cash amounting to P85,000.00.

NBI Provincial Director Dante Bonoan based in Dagupan City said those arrested on May 3 was based on a search warrant  and have been charged for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1602 as amended by 9287 or illegal gambling.

“Our team conducted the raid in the outlet of jai-alai that operates illegal numbers game or the so called jueteng or bookies and we have arrested 58 individuals performing different participations in the operation of the illegal numbers game.” Bonoan said.

Bonoan said those nabbed were involved in illegal jai-alai operations under the Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. (MVGC) whose franchise is within the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) only but not in Pangasinan.

“Meridien’s betting jai-alai betting operations are outside CEZA, that makes their operation here illegal,” Bonoan said.

He added that President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order  No. 13 that defines the authority of agencies issuing gambling operations.

Section 3 of the EO clarified that in the case of online gambling, licensed online gambling operators are prohibited from letting persons “physically located outside the territorial jurisdiction” of the licensing authorities like PAGCOR and the freeport zones to participate in the games, whether through an online portal or similar means.

Arrested individuals were brought for temporary detention in NBI Dagupan for proper disposition and process of investigation.

Meridien is reportedly owned by Atong Ang.

Bonoan noted that Meridien is operating in many towns, including Lingayen, in Pangasinan and these have been issued business permits by the local governments, and warned that their raid in Urbiztondo should serve as a wake-up call to other areas in Pangasinan that hosts the off-fronton jai-alai operation.

He said they will spare no one in this campaign to stop illegal jai-alai operation that fronts for the illegal numbers game, jueteng and advised local government units (LGUs) that issued permits for MGVC are advised to check the primary franchise submitted to them.

He added the LGUs that issued business permits may also be charged.

He said the raid they made in Urbiztondo emanated from a complaint by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

It will be recalled that Presiding Judge A. Florentino Dumlao Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 42 in Dagupan City already stopped Meridien’s operations in Pangasinan in August 2016 when he issued a writ of preliminary injunction against Meridien Vista Gaming Corporation, specifically, to refrain from engaging in jai-alai and other forms of illegal gambling in Pangasinan, managed or operated by said group. (Tita Roces/Nora Dominguez)

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