2 suspected ‘bookies’ bet collectors nabbed in Quezon

LUCENA CITY––Two suspected bet collectors of the illegal operation of the government-run Small Town Lottery (STL), or “bookies,” were arrested Thursday in Tiaong town in Quezon province.

Anti-illegal gambling operatives collared Evelyn Atienza, 48, while collecting at 7:25 p.m. money bets for “bookies” in Barangay Palagaran, the Quezon police reported Friday.

At 7:55 p.m., Carlito Ilag, 59, was also arrested while soliciting cash bets for the illegal numbers game in Barangay Talisay.

Authorities confiscated several bet collection lists and money in different denominations from the suspects.

“Bookies” maintain unauthorized betting stations in remote areas to avoid detection by authorities.

The bookies no longer conduct draws but adopt the winning combination from draws of the legal STL held three times a day in the Lucena office of Pirouette Gaming Corp., the licensed STL operator in the province.

The suspects were detained at the police jail and will face charges of violating the amended law on illegal gambling.

The police said the suspects failed to produce legitimate identification cards. INQ

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