Cops nab 4 illegal bet collectors of STL in Quezon

LUCENA CITY – Police on Friday busted an illegal gambling operation in Tayabas City and Lucena City and arrested four suspects, police said Saturday.

Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police provincial director, said anti-illegal gambling operatives raided a gambling den in Barangay (village) Wakas in Tayabas City around 5:45 p.m.

The authorities caught Edwin Abadilla, Shirley Abadilla and Cristmark Parafina while in the act of sorting out 31 pieces of bet collection forms for Small Town Lottery (STL). The raiders also seized gambling paraphernalia and money bet collections.

In Lucena City, police operatives also arrested Romill Rait while in the act of collecting STL money bets in Barangay Cotta around 9 p.m.

The four suspects all failed to produce legitimate identification cards issued by Pirouette Gaming Corp., the licensed STL operator in Quezon, which showed that the group was engaged in illegal bookies operation.

The suspects were charged with violation of Republic Act 9287 (An Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Numbers Game, Amending Certain Provision of Presidential Act 1602 and for Other Purposes). The suspects are detained at Tayabas and Lucena police jails. CDG