TACLOBAN CITY –– At least eight men, one of them a college student, are facing charges after they were arrested by policemen in Biliran town, Biliran province for engaging in illegal gambling using spiders on Sunday, Nov.22.
The suspects were identified as Wilson Ebajo, 36; Joemar Saligumba, 32; Jan Paul Sambitan, 21; Ogie Mendoza, 22; John Carlo Urgel, 23; Ronald Salidaga, 18; Joel Barong, 33; and Gimmar Lubiano, 25.
All suspects were construction workers except for Salidaga, who is a college student.
Reports from the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) based in Palo town in Leyte show that the suspects used an improvised fighting arena called “rueda” in an illegal gambling activity locally known as “damang.”
Recovered from the suspects were six pieces of improvised plastic containers with 46 live spiders worth about P2,300, two sling bags, and bet money amounting to P550.
The suspects were brought to Biliran municipal police station for documentation and were charged for violation of Presidential Decree 1602, which penalizes illegal gambling.