Twenty-four people were arrested in two separate operations by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against Globaltech Mobile Online Corporation’s illegal “Peryahan ng Bayan” activity the other day in Negros Occidental.

Retired Marine Major Manuel Fraginal Sr., Executive Assistant VI of PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan, said the joint operations were conducted on May 7 in the cities of Bacolod and Escalante.

The NBI team was led by lawyers Renoir Baldovino and Jose Gabriel Jr.

One of the arrested persons was Lito Estember, provincial coordinator, who had earlier reported to the local media that he filed criminal charges of grave coercion and alarm and scandal against Fraginal in his previous operation against his group.

Fraginal said the PCSO was able to get a court order from Executive Judge Cecilyn E. Burgos-Villabert of the Regional Trial Court ( RTC), Branch 89, Quezon City, to conduct search and arrest against Globaltech’s illegal gambling operation.

The anti-illegal gambling operation in Bacolod was witnessed by Thelma Aguilar, a barangay kagawad of Brgy. 19.

Republic Act 9287 is an act increasing the penalties for illegal numbers game.

Fraginal stressed that President Rodrigo Duterte earlier issued Executive Order 13, requiring all local government units and law enforcement agencies to clear their areas of illegal gambling.

The arrested individuals were brought and confined to the NBI Headquarters in Bacolod for fingerprinting and identification, including all the confiscated gambling paraphernalia for court presentation, inquest, and filing of appropriate charges.

The joint PCSO-NBI operation has been executed without any harm and/or injury committed to other person and/or entity and their property in closing down the Globaltech’s illegal activity.