A municipal councilor was arrested by police for alleged illegal gambling in Jagna town on Monday afternoon.

Jagna police chief Major Marcus Lopez said they collared Councilor Pacheco Rances at 4 p.m. during a patrol operation conducted in Barangay Looc.

The police operatives merely chanced upon Rances and his companions as Lopez explained that their patrol was conducted due to reports of illegal drug activities in the village.

“Naay nag reklamo na naay mga taga barangay na magduwa og ginadili na drogas mao ng atong gipahimuon og patrol, na timingan lang gyud ni sila na nagduwa sa akto,” said Lopez.

During the monitoring operation, police allegedly caught Rances, along with eight others, in the act of playing mahjong inside a house in the said village.

“Gated ni na balay pero ang ilang pultahan abli, mao ng kita gyud sa gawas,” said Lopez.

Lopez explained that the town has not been issuing permits for gambling amid the pandemic.

He also noted that a permit would have only allowed the use of one table for playing but Rances and his companions were caught with three tables allegedly used for gambling.

“Gi kompronta sa atong mga personnel kung duna ba silay permit pero nasayod man ta na dili gyud pa permitan ning mga duwa ron, like anang mahjong, tungod sa pandemic mao ng among gi aresto,” said Lopez.

Rances and his companions including the house’s owner were placed under police custody pending the filing of charges against them for violating Presidential Decree 1602 which penalizes illegal gambling. (A. Doydora)