Twenty – six social media personalities were arrested in an entrapment operation in Mankayan, Benguet on August 30 of conducting a raffle draw in violation of the PD 1602 or Illegal gambling and RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The 26 individuals, most of them from the Cordillera with two coming from Dagupan and another from Quirino Province, were arrested in an entrapment operation by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group Cyber Response Unit in coordination with the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit, Mankayan Municipal Station, Police Mobile Force Command, and representatives from the Philippine Gaming Corporation.
According to a belated police report, the suspects were charged for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1602 (Illegal Gambling) as amended by R.A No. 9287 in relation to Section 6 of R.A No. 10175 otherwise known as “Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 for actively facilitating and engaging in the raffle draw as Staffs, Agents and Facilitators of the ongoing Season 4 raffle draw.
Confiscated and recovered during the entrapment operations two lottery drums, 32 cellular phones, four cameras, one laptop and monitor, 1 Ipad, Documents, 51 raffle tickets, eight identification cards, five HDMI cables, and 45 bags of tickets for Season 5 Raffle Draw.
Brigadier General Bernard Yang, acting director of the PNP-ACG, said the operation underscores the continuing campaign of law enforcement against illegal online gambling activities.
“This highlights the commitment of the PNP ACG to safeguard the public against fraudulent online activities and illegal gambling operations. We will continue to intensify our efforts to detect and fight cyber-enabled illegal activities,” Yang said.
Some netizens however were quick to defend the group saying the raffle draw served as a fund raising event to help people in need.
“Instead of going after the real parasites leeching off our communities, the police flex their muscles on people trying to raise funds through a raffle draw,” a Facebook post read. NLMonitor