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TAGBILARAN CITY – Police arrested nine people, including a town councilor, for engaging in illegal gambling Monday in Jagna town, Bohol province.
Major Marcos Lopez, chief of Jagna police, said the operation in Looc village resulted in the arrest of nine persons caught playing mahjong.
Among those arrested was a town councilor identified as Pacheco Llido Rances, 65, of Barangay Poblacion.
The other suspects were Eriberto Rañin, 72, of Looc; Felix Yray, 51, of Pagina; Venusto Caseñas, 60, of Can-upao; Wendell Du, 48, of Nausok; Conrado Yap, 65, of Canjulao; Silvano Bayron, 83, of Pagina; Antonio Salazar, 57, of Tejero; and Ireneo Salas, 47, of Malbog.
Lopez said police conducted a patrol due to reports of illegal gambling and drug activities in the village.
The police team then proceeded to the village and arrested Rances and his companions caught playing mahjong inside a house.
Lopez said gambling remains prohibited since the town had not issued permits for gambling amid the pandemic.
On Tuesday morning, the arrested suspects were charged with violating the anti-gambling law.