Police destroy over 50 video karera machines; to charge 24 for illegal gambling

MANILA, Philippines — Police authorities destroyed over 50 “video karera” and “fruit game” machines in Camp Crame on Tuesday morning as part of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) intensified drive against illegal gambling.

WATCH: PNP. Lt. Gen. Eleazar and IMEG chief Ronald Lee lead the destruction of video karera machines in Camp Crame.

The machines were seized from cities Caloocan, Muntinlupa and Pasay. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/cqkOl2umA0

— Daphne Galvez (@daphnegalvez_) February 18, 2020

PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) chief Col. Ronald Lee, who led the destruction ceremony, said the seized machines were a result of four-day anti-illegal gambling operations in the cities of Caloocan, Muntinlupa, and Pasay.

“Marami kaming nakuha. Ang lahat ng mga ito ay more than 50 pieces ng video karera at ‘yung mga nakumpiska namin na halaga ng coins ay more than P30,000,” Lee said in a press briefing.

(We recovered many illegal gambling machines. All these are more than 50 pieces and we seized about P30,000 worth of coins.)

He added that a total of 24 civilians were arrested and would face illegal gambling charges. However, Lee did not disclose the names of the said individuals.

For his part, PNP Deputy Chief for Operations Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, who also led the destruction of machines, stressed that policemen face tough sanctions if they would be caught being lax in curbing illegal gambling operations in their areas.

He took note of the one-strike policy that PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa imposed on police officials regarding the agency’s crackdown against illegal gambling.

READ: PNP chief orders one-strike policy for unit commanders linked to illegal gambling

Since the one-strike policy was implemented, several unit commanders and chiefs of police have been relieved.

Recently, three city police chiefs and seven unit commanders in Metro Manila were relieved.

“The Chief PNP really means business on this campaign. The relief of different unit commanders on the ground will have a clear message and impact on the other unit commanders,” Eleazar said in the press conference.

“With this development, we are expecting and hoping that unit commanders would react to once and for all and substantially eradicate these illegal gambling operations,” he added.

He said that he would meet with concerned directorates with their contact officers to conduct an in-depth study on illegal gambling operations in the country.

Eleazar also said he had discussed the renewed drive against illegal gambling to police commanders across the country as chairman of the PNP Oversight Committee.

“Titingnan din natin kung paano nakakalusot yung illegal gambling operations,” the PNP official said.

(We will look at how illegal gambling operations manage to skirt the authorities.)