Cops say raid unmasks large scale Mindanao illegal gambling

COTABATO CITY—Authorities said they had uncovered a large scale illegal gambling operation here, called Last Two, following a raid recently on an alleged den being maintained by a suspected gambling lord.

Last Two is based on the last two digits of multiple daily lottery draws conducted by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

In most areas, gamblers can place bets on two-digit numbers three times daily.

Aside from Last Two, gambling operators also make money from “Three Digit” games based on the PCSO’s Swertres, another form of lottery. Syndicates in areas outside Mindanao also operate illegal bet collection stations for jai alai.

Mayor Japal Guiani Jr., who joined the police raiding team, said pieces of evidence were seized during the raid on a building on Sinsuat Avenue owned by the family of Edwin Cang.

Guiani said police didn’t make any arrests but seized balance sheets, bet collection lists and a document that looked like a payroll.

The documents, he said, showed the extent of Cang’s operation and listed police officers supposedly receiving protection money. He said Cang’s operation covered northern, western and central Mindanao areas.

“The government is losing several millions of pesos in revenues,” Guiani said.

Senior Supt. Roberto Badian, city police director, said Cang was previously arrested for illegal gambling but lack of witnesses and evidence allowed him to evade prosecution. Badian said this time, police have an “air-tight case” against Cang.

He said police are also investigating the involvement of officers on the payroll list, including those from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

The new national police chief, Nicanor Bartolome, has vowed to wage war on all forms of illegal gambling, including jueteng and jai alai.Charlie C. Señase, Inquirer Mindanao