50 illegal gambling machines destroyed in Camp Crame

February 18, 2020

The Philippine National Police- Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP- IMEG) on Tuesday destroyed around 50 confiscated illegal gambling machines.

The ceremony was led by Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar, deputy director operations, at the IMEG headquarters in Camp Crame.

According to IMEG chief, Police Colonel Ronald Lee, 19 video karera and 36 fruit game machines were confiscated in Caloocan City, Muntinlupa City and Pasay City from January 30 to February 2.

Lee said their operation started after PNP chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa gave his directive on “no take police” on illegal gambling.

"We confiscated a lot… these are more than 50 pieces of video karera and we also confiscated more than P30, 000 coins,” he told reporters.

Eleazar said this will give a strong signal to gambling operators they are serious in their campaign.

“It will give strong signal and clear signal that we are really serious in this activity,” he said.

Eleazar added illegal gambling can be considered as the second highest social problem in the country after drugs.

“We know that if we are to compare this to illegal drugs, we can see that it can have an effect (on our society),” Eleazar said.

In a separate ceremony, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Police Major General Debold Sinas led the destruction of 17 video karera machines in Kamuning Police Station 10, Quezon City.

Sinas said these are among the 33 machines they confiscated in a three-day  anti-criminality operation.

“Our anti-criminality operation will be continuously implemented… All districts, they also have schedule destruction of evidence,” he said.

Gamboa ordered all commanders to intensify their operation against illegal gambling after receiving complaints police officers are not conducting operations in their areas and become gambling protectors or sometimes  operators.  Ella Dionisio/DMS