92 foreigners held for illegal online gambling

SAN PEDRO CITY, Laguna, Philippines — Authorities prepared a raft of charges against 92 foreigners who were arrested at a small apartelle in Bacoor City in Cavite on Friday for allegedly operating an online gambling facility in violation of the law.

The Calabarzon regional police said the foreigners—90 Chinese and two Malaysians—were arrested at the Mariche Apartelle in Bacoor’s Mabolo district where lawmen found at least 53 computers, desks, cellphones, gambling paraphernalia and P5.3 million in cash.

Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group raided the apartelle after they were informed that dozens of foreigners frequently loiter in front of the apartelle without shirts or masks.

When the police arrived on Friday evening, they found several men loitering outside the facility but when the foreigners saw the police, they ran and the police chased them to the hotel where the lawmen discovered the gambling operation.

“When our men chased them inside, they discovered that physical distancing was not observed inside and several of them were not wearing masks,” said Police Maj. Gen. Joel Napoleon Coronel, CIDG director. “Our men also saw several of those arrested closely working in six units in a car garage with their chairs, tables, cellphones, and computers,” he added.

After the lawmen secured the facility, none of the foreigners could present passports or legal work documents.