The team headed by P/SI Jovit Culanag, arrived unknown to the PNP authorities of Pagadian City last July 2. The following day July 3, staking out the alleged financier's residence, they caught in action the swertres runners who were arriving one by one bringing the bets collection from their so called coordinators.

In an interview, P/SI Culanag said that, with the coordination from the Provincial Mobile Group they operated in only one suspected lair of a financier and made the operation successfully. "Isa lang ang aming na-timingan" (meaning the financier), he said. In the said operation, motorcycles, bet money worth P50,000 pesos,  paraphernalia of the swertres game and cell phones were also confiscated.

The seventeen arrested swertres runners together with their motorcycles were brought to the Justice Hall in the city for filing of formal charges against the seventeen suspects, while their motorcycles were impounded in the said justice hall. P/SI Culanag personally filed the complaint pursuant to R.A 1602 or the Anti-Gambling Law of the Philippines.

As of press time, it was gathered that the seventeen posted bail and were released.

In a related development, Swertres coordinator Pedro "Jun" Garcia was arrested by the elements of the Pagadian City PNP and the 905^th PNP Provincial Mobile Group in the evening of June 28 along Rizal Avenue, Sta. Lucia District, Pagadian City.

The police reported that while they were conducting an Anti-Gambling Operation in the area, Garcia with his companions identified as Romano Dumasig who is known to be connected to one of the illegal numbers game operating in the City and one security guard identified as Celso Sumalpong were caught in the act of possessing paraphernalia used for the swertres operation.

The items confiscated from their possession include calculators, rubber stamp, tally sheets, stabs, ball pens, cell phone Nokia 1600 and proceeds worth P1,000.00.

Also recovered from Sumalpong's possession was a caliber 38 pistol. According to the operatives, while in the process of arresting Garcia, he refused to open the attaché case that he was bringing and identified himself as a media practitioner in the City.

Moreover, Garcia also claimed that he was an agent of  the highway patrol and was issued with an identification card by an officer.

Also, the operatives recovered empty sachets from Garcia's possession suspected to be used in shabu packing. Garcia then denied that he used the substance saying that it belongs to his brother.

It may be recalled that Garcia was caught by the same operatives for the same offense on September 2006 but was able to bail P10,000.00 for his temporary release.

Garcia used to report as a beat reporter for DXKV-FM and DXBZ-AM and was expelled from the later radio station for involvement in swertres activities last year.

Last update : 13-01-2008 12:23

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