3 ‘jai alai’
operators arrested

Three men allegedly involved in jai alai operations were arrested by the police in Murcia town, Negros Occidental Friday, and at the Bacolod City downtown area Saturday.

The Regional Intelligence Unit 6, led by Senior Insp. Julio Torculas, and Murcia policemen arrested Regan Ortiaga Granada, 39, and Roy Mangana Quirante, 25, both single and residents of Purok Arceo, Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia, at about 7:30 a.m. Friday, while they were tallying bets for jai alai.

Five bundles of tipsters with codename “Speed”, a notebook, a bundle of tally sheets, a ball pen, a bundle of betting stubs, and P972 in cash, were seized from Quirante and Granada during their arrest, police records show.

Meanwhile, Bobby Soberano, 31, of Libertad Extension in Brgy. 40, Bacolod City, was nabbed by the police at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday, after he was reportedly caught tallying bets for jai alai, at the junction of Luzuriga and Bonifacio Streets in the city.

Police Officers 2 Felipe Moncatar and Michael Ferrer also seized a tipster with the codename “Guitar”, bundles of betting stubs, a ball pen and P50 in cash from Soberano.

The Bacolod City Police Office has maintained its lead in the anti-illegal gambling drive in Western Visayas in the first five months of the year, and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office in the second spot, record from Police Regional Office-6 showed.

BCPO and NOPPO also have the biggest haul in terms of illegal gambling cash proceeds, amounting to P37,101 and P20,413, respectively, PRO-6 added.*APN

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Ex-construction worker hurt
in shooting incident: police

A former construction worker was shot by one of two men riding on a trisikad at Lacson Street, Bacolod City, at about 1:45 a.m. Saturday.

Police Officer 2 Christopher Profeta, case investigator, identified the victim as Joemarie Beraque, 34, of Brgy. Buhanon in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, who sustained a lone gunshot wound in his right shoulder.

He was rushed to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital but was released after his injury was treated, police records show.

Beraque told the police that he was waiting for a jeepney in front of the compound of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, when the suspects passed by, shot him without provocation, then fled.

Profeta said they are still working on the identities of the suspects and the motive for the shooting. He added that Beraque failed to describe the two men who shot him.

Profeta also said that Beraque was the subject of a complaint for allegedly stealing a car battery near Police Station 2 last year, but no charges were filed against him as the stolen item was recovered.*APN

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