Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) director Brigadier General Jack Wanky ordered all police personnel in the region to wipe out illegal gambling activities, while asserting a “no-take policy” in their operations.

Wanky said he was informed by his predecessor about the widespread illegal gambling operations in the region, including “bookies,” despite the presence of the government-sanctioned Small Town Lottery (STL).

Bookies is an illegal numbers game that uses winning numbers from STL draws.

He added that STL operators have been complaining about extensive bookies operations.

Wanky reminded police officers to observe a “no-take policy” approach, which means zero-tolerance during operations.

They are ordered to ensure that charges will be filed against arrested illegal gambling violators.

He also directed all city and provincial police directors in Western Visayas to form a task group against illegal gambling.

Meanwhile, Wanky said several individuals who allegedly have links to illegal gambling sought to meet with him, while acknowledging that some of them were even his friends.

However, he said that they would not receive any special treatment.

Earlier, four illegal STL bookies operators were arrested in Negros Occidental cities of Escalante, Victorias and Sagay, as well as Candoni town.

Cash bets and tally sheets worth P3,958 were confiscated during illegal gambling operations.

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office reported that eight other individuals involved in illegal gambling were arrested in the municipalities of La Castellana and Calatrava, as well as the cities of Himamaylan, Bago and La Carlota.

The operations resulted in the confiscation of gambling bets worth P1,146./WDJ