NANINDIGAN si Games and Amusement Board (GAB) Chairman Abraham Kahlil ‘Baham’ Mitra sa karapatan ng ahensiya na magkaroon ng mas malawak na kapangyarihan para masugpo ang mga ilegal betting at game-fixing sa professional sports.
“We want a muscular anti-illegal gambling arm at the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) this year to protect the integrity of professional sports and collect revenues due for the government,” pahayag ni Mitra.
“Gambling syndicates are stealing government money. It destroys fan support and drives away commercial sponsors in sports tainted with illegal betting and game-fixing,” ayon sa dating Palawan Congressman.
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“Anti-illegal gambling is crucial in our mandate to regulate professional sports. Last year, we arrested syndicate members and confiscated gambling paraphernalia and cash. We had complete surveillance and intelligence work so we caught them in the act. The National Bureau of Investigation Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division (AOTCD) assisted us,” aniya.
Inamin ni Mitra na ang kawalan ng ‘police power’ ay hadlang din sa GAB upang matukoy at sugpuin ang mga individual at grupong nagpapatakbo ng illegal bookies, on-line betting at game-fixing.
“Until now, the guerrilla type of illegal betting is the norm, but, illegal gambling especially betting, are transferring to posh establishments. The syndicates are no longer hole-in-the wall operations. There are high-stake rollers now in luxurious dens. Hindi na lang barya-barya sa mga kubol.”
“Most of our operations are directed at illegal betting on horse racing, but we are doing more. We will beef up our efforts at detecting gambling in other sports such as professional basketball, boxing and martial arts. For those, the avenue for gambling would be game-fixing and match-making of disparate contenders. Sinasadyang malamya ang laro ng isang atleta kahit alam ng lahat na malakas itong makapuntos. May laban na tagillid ang magkalaban at sobrang dehado ang isa para sadyang matalo. Mas malaking pera ang nakataya diyan,” pahayag ni Mitra.
“If we don’t stop illegal gambling, the sports could lose adherents. Malalagasan ng fans ang mga atleta na nagbebenta ng kanilang laro. Some athletes eventually get wind of the brutal truth that they were sold, the game has been fixed. Many find it hard to complain or refuse to be a party to the illegal activity. Kung pumalag ang atleta, madali silang palitan. These have become open secrets but, without intense intelligence gathering, no solid case build-up, no prosecution,” aniya.
Ayon kay Mitra, limang anti-illegal gambling operations ang isinagawa ng GAB sa nakalipas na taon na nagresulta sa pagkaaresto ng 22 katao na binubuo ng pitong bet collectors; isang runner; isang manager; isang supervisor; isang personnel; at 11 mananaya.
Ang naturang operasyon ay ginawa sa pakikipagtulungan ng GAB Anti-Illegal Gambling Units sa NBI Anti - Organized and Transnational Crime Division. Kinasuhan na umano ang mga suspect dahil sa paglabag sa Presidential Decree No. 1602, amended by Republic Act No. 9287 or AN ACT INCREASING THE PENALTIES FOR ILLEGAL NUMBERS GAMES, AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1602, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
“The penalties have been increased by R. A. No. 9286. Also, reward to informers got bigger, but we cannot depend on civilian people as bounty hunters to run after illegal gambling syndicates. Just like other crime syndicates, illegal gambling has tentacles in the justice system. Therefore, we shall allocate more resources and assign more personnel in the anti-illegal-gambling unit. Government should still do the bulk of collecting intelligence, catching the crime syndicates and winning our cases in the courts,” pahayag ni Mitra.
