CAMP BGEN OSCAR M FLORENDO– the PRO1’s (Police Regional Office 1) anti-illegal gambling campaign scored after the arrest of 173 violators in its one-day operation in Region 1 on August 19 in several towns in Panggasinan.
In his report to Police General Archie Fran3isco F Gamboa, Chief, PNP, Police Brigadier General Rodolfo S Azurin, Jr, PRO1 Regional Director confirmed that the PNP’s Anti-Illegal Gambling Plan “Operations High Roller was conducted in 9 City/Municipalities of Pangasinan that resulted in the arrest of 173 persons and confiscation of Php 862,665.00 bet money in different denominations, as follows:
| Place of Operation | No. of Persons Arrested | Amount Confiscated (Bet Money) |
| Calasiao, Pangasinan | 44 | Php 274,985.00 |
| Mangatarem, Pangasinan | 1 | Php 450.00 |
| San Jacinto, Pangasinan | 27 | Php 67,120.00 |
| San Fabian, Pangasinan | 37 | Php 276,462.00 |
| Malasiqui, Pangasinan | 20 | Php 169,854.00 |
| Asingan, Pangasinan | 1 | Php 320.00 |
| Dagupan City, Pangasinan | 1 | Php 205.00 |
| Binmaley, Pangasinan | 41 | Php 60, 522.00 |
| Mangatarem, Pangasinan | 1 | Php 328.00 |
The apprehended violators failed to present pertinent documents authorizing the operation of STL and Card Games in their municipality. Likewise, there are no PCSO representatives present to prove that the operation is legal.
PBGen Azurin also identified the alleged manager/operator of illegal number games (jueteng) in the Province of Pangasinan as Efren Ricafort Fajardo, incumbent Barangay Captain of Brgy. Sagud Bahley, San Fabian, Pangasinan.
Efren R. Fajardo is a graduate of PMA Class of 1993, a former member of Philippine Air Force (PAF).
In his message, PBGen Azurin said that the massive crackdown of illegal gambling is part of the PRO1’s initiative to stop illegal gambling in Region 1 in response also to the President’s directive to end illegal gambling in the country.
“Our police will continuously conduct relentless operations like this to prevent the proliferation of illegal gambling activities,” he added.
Since the declaration of Enhanced Community Quarantine last March 16, 2020 in Luzon, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office suspended all gaming activities to include Small Town Lotteries and Peryahan ng Bayan which was also concurred by the IATF. The violators are presently under the custody of the respective police stations where they were apprehended for the filing of appropriate charges####
ilocandia 
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