‘80 percent of jai-alai
operations eliminated'

Police Regional Office-6 Director, Chief Supt. Cepriano Querol, yesterday said their intelligence reports show that about 80 percent of jai-alai operations in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental have been eliminated.

Querol said it is difficult to arrest other jai-alai operators because they are into the “guerilla” type of operations.

He said two teams of Regional Special Operations Group from PRO-6 have been dispatched to complement the personnel of BCPO and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office in the campaign against illegal gambling.

Querol said he hopes that next year, Negros Occidental and the rest of Western Visayas will be totally clear of jai-alai and other forms of illegal number games.

For Western Visayas to be cleared of jai-alai, it has to be certified by the media, local police, the local government units and the members of the Church, he also said.

Meanwhile, Querol dismissed reports linking him to jai-alai operators as a mere demolition drive to tarnish his name and reputation.

PRO6 records show that BCPO topped the list for having the most number of cases filed in court for violation of RA 9287, or the amended law on illegal gambling, with 125 out of 159 police operations in Western Visayas from May to October this year, followed by NOPPO, with 58 operations.

Of the 501 arrested suspects, 120 were reportedly collectors and bettors of illegal jai-alai gambling outfits with the codenames of “Target” and “Speed”, police records also showed.

In the same period, the police confiscated P136,751.50 in alleged cash bets.*APN

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Frustrated slay
suspect yields

A man wanted for frustrated murder surrendered to policemen of Silay City, Negros Occidental, at about 9:40 a.m. Tuesday.

Police records identified yesterday the one who surrendered as Benjie Belo, 27, of Purok Patuloy in Brgy. Mambulac, Silay City.

Reports reaching Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office showed that Belo is the subject of an arrest warrant for frustrated murder issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 69 Judge Felipe Banzon, who set his bail at P200,000.

Belo is now detained at Silay City police and will be transferred later to the city's Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.*APN

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Death toll caused by traffic mishaps
in Bacolod City reached 53: records

The death toll from traffic accidents in Bacolod City since January of this year has reached 53, records of the Traffic Management Unit showed yesterday.

However, this is lower compared to the death toll recorded in the same period last year that had 59 casualties.

TMU head, Chief Insp. Luisito Acebuche, said most of these traffic accidents were motorcycle-related and other casualties were pedestrians.

He said it is expected that the number of traffic accidents will balloon during Yuletide season because of so many gatherings.

Acebuche advised motorists not to drink alcoholic beverages if they will drive their vehicles and ride public transportation instead. He also reminded motorcycle drivers to always wear their crash helmets, while pedestrians are urged to use the lanes designated for them.*APN

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