A top Cebu police official said they are ready to stop the operation of two new jai-alai betting centers in Toledo City and Consolacion town even though they were issued business permits.
The betting may intensify illegal gambling and revive masiao, said Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO).
The outlets owned by Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. will be stopped once police get a copy of the memorandum issued by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo ordering the PNP “to proceed with the search and seizure of off-fronton betting stations as well as effect the arrest and prosecution of operators and maintainers.”
De Lima has said Meridien’s operation outside the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority can be considered illegal and should be stopped.
The jai-alai betting stations in Toledo City and Consolacion town quietly started last year with the blessings of the local government units.
Both were issued business permits.
Comendador said he learned about the Meridien betting stations in October last year when a representative met him to ask permission to field ushers outside their off-fronton betting stations in Toledo and Consolacion since sales were low there.
Comendador said he recommended to Chief Supt. Ager Ontong, chief of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, to deny the request to avoid the resurgence of masiao.
Toledo City’s Public Information Officer Romel Cabriana confirmed that the city government renewed the business permit of jai-alai Meridian last Jan. 19.
Meridian authorized Vivian Hui of Bato, Toledo City, to operate an off-fronton collection agency on Rafols Street in barangay Poblacion.
Hui was given a provisional business or mayor’s permit last year, which was renewed last Jan. 19.
Cabriana said Hui presented a court ruling of a civil case in Aparri RTC Branch 7, which ruled in favor of their operation.
But since the case was elevated to the Court of Appeals, Cabriana said Toledo City Mayor Aurelio Espinosa just issued a provisional business permit “dependent on pending case at court dealing on issue of legality of its jai-alai operation.”
If the court finally rules the operation of Meridien is illegal, the city will cancel the business permit.
The betting station operates like a lotto outlet where a bettor can choose number combinations for a P10 bet.
A TV monitor feeds game results from Cagayan.
Masaio still exists in Toledo City but police said this was not based on the results of Meridien stations.
In Consolacion town, a business permit was issued last Jan. 20, 2011, to an off-fronton station in barangay Poblacion Oriental.
The applicant, Josefino Pilapil, did not bring the name of Meridien when he applied, said municipal treasurer Rosalina Maglasang.
The applicant was only required to present a permit from the Games and Amusement Board and a barangay clearance.
Told that the DOJ stated that it’s operation is illegal, Maglasang said they would wait for the DOJ order so they can revoke the business permit.
Comendador said betting on masiao, an illegal numbers game, still exists in Cebu province but is not as rampant as it was in the ’80s.
Winning masiao combinations are based on different sources and only a few are based on Meridien results, he said. Bettors buy dubious tip sheets to guide their choice of number combinations.