LUCENA CITY—Four suspected bet collectors for an illegal numbers game called “bookies” were arrested Wednesday in police operations in Lipa City in Batangas province.
The Lipa City police reported Thursday that operatives with body cameras arrested Edwin Zara, 37; Ronaldo Torres, 32; Teresita Mejico, 54; and Tomas Cornejo, 64, in separate operations.
Seized from the suspects, who are all residents of Lipa City, were “lastillas” or bet collection forms that mimic that of the government-authorized Small Town Lottery (STL), booking paraphernalia, and monetary bets of different denominations.
The police said the four suspects failed to produce legitimate identification cards issued by Batangas Enhanced Technology Systems Inc., the licensed STL operator in the province.
The suspects were detained at the local police jail and face charges for violating Republic Act No. 9287 (An Act Increasing The Penalties for Illegal Numbers Game, Amending Certain Provision of Presidential Act 1602 and for Other Purposes).