MANILA, Philippines—“Dirty Harry” is cracking down on illegal gambling—literally. To dramatize the city government’s ongoing campaign against the illegal vice, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim took a mallet the other day and led in the smashing of 102 confiscated “video karera” machines at the Bonifacio Shrine near city hall.
The machines, which feature a virtual horse race that players can bet on, were seized in joint operations conducted by the Manila police and officials of the city social welfare department.
Many of the video game machines were confiscated in Tondo, Sta. Cruz, Paco and Sta. Ana, according to city social welfare head Jay de la Fuente. “Most of the players we caught during these operations were minors. We brought them back to their parents,” he said.—Jaymee T. Gamil