Court charges brgy captain

A barangay captain was charged for allegedly keeping illegal gambling paraphernalia inside his home in barangay Liloan, Santander town, south Cebu.

The Cebu Provincial Prosecutors’ Office found probable cause to indict captain Rozalino Cepria on charges of violating Republic Act 9287, which prohibits “illegal numbers game.”

In his resolution, Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Jay Paradiang gave weight to the allegations by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7), which conducted a raid inside the respondent’s house last Feb. 23.

“Respondent (Cepria) failed to overturn complainant’s allegations (which was) supported by evidence. The undersigned (Paradiang) is not prepared to disregard complainant’s accusations in view of the presumption of regularity accorded to the (police),” the prosecutor said.

The CIDG-7 conducted an operation inside the respondent’s house in the presence of his wife and two barangay tanods after securing a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Leopoldo Cañete.

Cepria was not present during the raid.

The CIDG-7 confiscated, among others, 30 tally sheets with number combinations, 11 stub booklets with number combinations, ballpens, calculator, and P3,670, which was purportedly used as “cash bets.”

The respondent denied the allegations against him.

He said the items seized from his house could not be used against him.

Cepria said his wife were not allowed to accompany the policemen during the conduct of the search.

Hence, he said the charges against him has “no legal basis.” ador vincent s. mayol