8 arrested in anti-jueteng drive in Quezon City

MANILA, Philippines - The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) arrested eight persons during a drive against the illegal numbers game jueteng in Quezon City over the weekend.

The arrest of the suspects confirmed reports that jueteng is back not only in the province of Pangasinan but also in Metro Manila.

NCRPO director Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, however, insisted that those arrested were not involved in jueteng but in “Basketball 38”, a gambling game authorized by the Philippine Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

Bartolome said he could not impose the “one-strike” policy of Philippine National Police chief Director General Raul Bacalzo because it is only confined to the illegal numbers game jueteng.

Those arrested were Elena Eser, 24; Levy Belonio, 23; Roger Manosca, 49; Sonny Serrano, 40; Bernie Obregon, 48; Bryan Carpio, 22; Eddie Galac, 20, and Noel Migarbio, 29.

Superintendent Remus Medina, head of the NCRPO’s regional police intelligence and operations unit said his men raided a house on Sauyo Road in Novaliches following reports that the winning combination of jueteng was being drawn there.

Medina admitted they did not recover any jueteng “bolilyo” (numbered balls) but his men confiscated paraphernalia such as red pencils, stamp pad, calculators, rubberized marker, P900 worth of bets, a list of bets and winning combination results with markings Sauyo Extra and Central Marikina.

The suspects told Medina that Perry M.; Eddie C. and Teppang, who also owns a chain of beerhouses in Quezon City, operates jueteng games under the guise of Basketball 38.