Elderly ‘bookies’ bet collector held in Quezon

LUCENA CITY –– Police arrested a 71-year-old widower as an alleged bets collector for illegal operation of the government-run Small Town Lottery (STL) or “bookies” in Mauban town in Quezon province on Friday, police said.

Calexto Villania was arrested while collecting money bets for local “bookies” in Barangay Polo around 8:35 p.m., Colonel Audie Madrideo, Quezon police chief, said in a report.

Authorities confiscated several bet collection lists, two calculators and P3,490 cash in different denominations from the suspect.

Police said the suspect failed to produce a permit and legitimate identification cards issued by Pirouette Gaming Corp., the licensed STL operator in the province.

“Bookies” are illegal STL operations that maintain unauthorized betting stations in remote areas to avoid detection by authorities.

The suspect was detained at the local police jail and faces charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9287 (An Act Increasing The Penalties for Illegal Numbers Game, Amending Certain Provision of Presidential Act 1602 and for Other Purposes)./lzb