Congress News: HIGHER PENALTIES FOR ILLEGAL GAMBLING PROPOSED A lawmaker has expressed concern over the proliferation of other forms of illegal gambling not covered by Republic Act 9827 like the operation of “sakla” in urban areas. Rep. Sherwin T. Gatchalian (1st District, Valenzuela City) wants higher penalties imposed on other forms of illegal gambling through HB 4661 which seeks to amend RA 9827 entitled “An Act increasing the Penalties for illegal numbers games, amending certain provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1602, and for other purposes.” The author, as provided under HB4661, proposes to delete the phrase “numbers game” and substitute the same with the generic phrase “in any illegal gambling activity” to include other forms of illegal gambling, including sakla. Penalties, depending on the classification of violations and violators’ involvements as provided for, range from 30 days to 20 years imprisonment. Likewise, “if the collector, agent, coordinator, controller, supervisor, maintainer, manager, operator, financier or capitalist of any illegal gambling activity is a government employee or public official, whether elected or appointed shall suffer the penalty of 12 years and one day to 20 years and a fine ranging from three million pesos (P3-million) to five million pesos (P5-million) and perpetual absolute disqualification from public office. He also proposed that informer’s reward shall be at least thirty-five (35%) percent of the cash money or articles of value confiscated or forfeited in favor of the government. (PRIB/dpt)
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 09:12:59 +0000